Three Delivery Another Dimension
by crystalquirt
Summary: Finding clues of a recipe being hidden nearby send the kids to the local used bookstore, where they unexpectedly encounter Kong Li. They are sent to a magical dimension where they experience their worse fears. Written before 'Fear Factor' aired.
1. Chapter 1

Three Delivery "Another Dimension"

By Crystalquirt

Finding clues of a recipe being hidden nearby send the kids to the local used bookstore, where they unexpectedly encounter Kong Li. He uses a recipe to separate them to try to get what he wants. They are sent to a magical dimension where they experience their worst fears.

Violence, scary situations, mild expletive.

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Tobey overshot his turn and wound up going through an alley that the city workers had torn up. It was so wet from all the rain, that the workers had already stopped working, so no one yelled at him as he went through on his bike.

He weaved through the orange cones and jumping a barricade. It was the best show they had seen all day so instead of yelling at him, they applauded! Tobey raised his arms in victory. He and his bike were covered in mud from top to bottom.

After he caught up with Sid, Tobey whined, "Aw man! I want a do-over! You totally cheated!"

Sid, laughing and way ahead of him teased. "It's not my fault you missed that turn and had to go through the construction zone."

He found the sight of Tobey covered in mud very funny. "Nice coating of mud, by the way. Are you still facing forward on your bike? I can't see your face!"

Tobey frowned and mumbled, "I wish I couldn't see your face."

Sid didn't hear him. He was waiting for Tobey to 'almost' catch up to him and when he did he challenged him again. "Ok slow poke, rematch it is! - first one to the next alley starting with the letter 'P' . . . GO!"

When Sid yelled 'GO' he took off again.

Tobey complained, "NO FAIR!" and hurried after him.

He poured on the speed, determined to beat Sid to the next challenge. An alley starting with 'P' could only have been Pontiac Alley and it was less than a block away so he didn't have much time! Sid rounded the corner first, and went out of Tobey's sight.

Before Tobey got around the corner he heard Sid scream. He rounded the corner after him quickly, but couldn't see Sid anywhere. He couldn't be that fast, and there is no place else to go?

"SID!" he called and looked around, he even looked back where he had just come from.

"Sid! Where are you?" he stopped, looked around and listened before calling for him name again.

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Tobey was in another area under construction that had been interrupted by the rain. Just front of where he had stopped his bike, the workers had covered a hole up with two large square steel plates. There was yellow caution tape around it, but the tape was broken on the nearest side and one of the heavy steel plates was sitting crooked over the hole.

Tobey imagined the worse and blamed himself! "OH NO! He vanished and it's my fault! I said I wished I couldn't see Sid's face!"

He jumped off his bike and dramatically went to his knees. "I didn't mean it! I want to see Sid – even his face!"

". . . SID?" he yelled and got up.

Tobey went over and got down on his knees to look in the hole. As he bent down, he accidentally touched the heavy steel plate and made it rock on the edges of the hole it was supposed to be covering. He steadied it so it wouldn't fall in, since he was pretty sure he knew where Sid was and he didn't want it falling in and landing on him.

"Sid!" he yelled again. He took his helmet off to make his head smaller and very carefully put his head down in the hole, next to the steel plate, but all he could see was darkness. "Hey Sid!"

"Ow" and a moan was all he heard.

"Sid! Is that you?"

"Who else?" came Sid's voice from the darkness.

"Where's your bike?"

"Down here with me – and thanks for the concern - I'm ok!

. . . GET ME UP!"

"How? Your bike has the cable on it."

"Ai-ya."

"What're ya doin' Tobey? Where's Sid?" When he heard Sue's voice, he jumped up and started talking so fast she couldn't understand.

"Tobey! Slow down!"

"I said, Sid fell down the hole! You have to help me get him out!"

"Oh no – can't I leave you two alone for a minute? Alright then!" Sue got on her hands and knees and called down the hole. "Can you see anything Sid? Isn't there a ladder or something?"

"I can't see my hand in front of my face, and even if there is a ladder – I'm not sure I can carry my bike up alone – my arm hurts."

"Sid! You ARE hurt! But you said you were ok! We better call Nana!"

"NO! I AM fine – it just hurts a little – get me out of here!"

"Stay here Tobey, I'll be right back." Sue ran off and only a moment later came back with a flashlight, a rope and Mr. Goldberg from the hardware store, just one door down from the hole.

Mr. Goldberg, Sue and Tobey all slid the steel plate to the side so they could see better and it wouldn't fall in. Sue got down on her stomach and looked down with the flashlight first. Shining the light straight down, she saw her brother. Tobey got down next to her so he could see too.

"Gee Sid, are you sure your ok? Your bike's on top of you."

Tobey added "Wow, that's a long way down!"

"Hurry guys! It's cold down here . . . and it smells!"

A rope came down as the flashlight beam jiggled along the walls and water, blinding Sid in quick flashes as it went over his location. He was looking up trying to see the rope coming. Sid caught it and tied the end around his bike.

The three on the surface pulled Sid's bike up easily and then let the rope back down to get him. Sid tied the rope around his waist and held on still sitting in water. They started to pull him up, but he saw something on the wall nearby when the flashlight swept across it.

"Whoa! Wait! Shine the light back down on the wall to my left."

They stopped pulling and Sue aimed the light down at him.

"Not on me – the wall to my left!"

The light moved.

"No – my other left!"

The beam finally shined on the wall and revealed some smallish, faded lettering. It said:

Blac . . . ECIPE to ston . . . quid

Chi . . . Bookstor - Egyptian book o. . . ead, 1824 e

"Sue there's a message down here – I think it's about a recipe! We'll have to come back with Nana."

Sue and Tobey shrugged and looked at each other. "Maybe the stink is getting to him." Tobey offered for explanation. Mr. Goldberg didn't understand at all, still only concerned with rescuing Sid he reminded them to continue pulling Sid up.

The wall was stained and chipped in places and letters were missing. While Sid stared at the message trying to read it, a shadow with glowing pale blue eyes remained motionless in a dark tunnel behind where Sid fell. The angry eyes glowed dimly watching as the little reject friends pulled the clumsy reject out of the sewer.

He was very angry because the juvenile antics of his enemies interrupted his discovery of the secret instructions to find a recipe. Kong Li had seen enough anyway, and now knew he must act quickly since his little enemies also saw the writing on the wall.

Sid didn't see Kong Li leaving the tunnel in a flurry of dark cape.

Tobey grabbed Sid's hand and pulled him up the rest of the way out of the hole. "Oh man! WHAT STINKS!"

"The sewer 'stinks' Tobey."

"Well ya, but so do you – you have 'sewer juice stink' all over you!"

Tobey almost fell over laughing so hard. Sid grabbed him and gave him a bear hug. Tobey squealed and squirmed. Before letting him go, he put Tobey's head in his armpit and wiped sewer juice in his hair.

"Oh YUCK. I'll get you for that."

"I don't think so." Sid replied, and sidestepped Tobey's charge. He thanked Mr. Goldberg for the use of his items and the help getting him out.

Mr. Goldberg was rolling his rope back up. "No problem Sid, glad I could help this time, but don't fall into any more holes, ok?"

"Yes, Mr. Goldberg." Sid answered.

"Next time you come by Sid, you owe me a fortune cookie." Mr. Goldberg smiled and put the rope over his shoulder. All three teens smiled and waved at him before he went back to his store.

"You guys will both have to have a shower before you can take anymore deliveries – HA! – More tips for me tonight." Sue giggled and stood up to pedal ahead of them.

"I don't think so Sue, are you going to go on deliveries while the rest of us go back down there to investigate the clues about a recipe?"

"Well guess your right Bro, don't want to miss out on that. Hey!" Sue stopped and the boys stopped behind her. "Let's just call Nana and she can meet us here right now!"

"No way – I don't want to go recipe hunting until after a shower – I'm even offending myself."

"Right Sid, and worse – you're even offending ME!" Tobey teased.

Sid was feeling to sticky and gross to go fast, and it was cold being wet in the night air. Tobey saw how miserable he looked and circled back to him. "Come on slow poke – the faster you get home the faster you'll be warm. First one there gets the first shower!"

Sid smiled and picked up speed.

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Within an hour, three flashlight beams were shining on the wall at the writing. Sid had been right! It revealed clues about another lost recipe. Nana, Sue and Sid were carefully examining the whole area with their flashlights. They only clue they found was still the writing that Sid found when he fell.

Tobey was the last to come down the rope with a camera. He took several pictures of the writing and some more pictures of Sue while she was looking at the writing. Those were for his album.

Blac . . . ECIPE to ston . . . quid

Chi . . . Bookstor - Egyptian book o. . . ead, 1824 e

"How fortunate that you fell down here Sid!" Nana exclaimed and looked closely touching the edges of the paint that made up the lettering.

"Well, I guess – wish I would've found it an easier way." Sid wasn't feeling very fortunate yet. He rubbed his bruised shoulder.

Nana continued, "It is a little hard to read, but I am sure it must be a clue to finding the Black Liquid recipe, a recipe to turn solid to liquid. It's like having the ability to melt something without using heat. Can you see what it says?"

"Sure Nana," Sid volunteered. "We need to find the Egyptian book of the dead, 1894, probably in a Chinatown bookstore, right?"

"Right Sid, it is a very dangerous recipe – we must find it immediately."

Nana took the camera from Tobey and sent all three out of the sewers to start checking bookstores before they all closed for the evening. Nana took the camera home to process the digital pictures on the computer. Sue, Sid and Tobey went to the nearest bookstore, first.

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On the way they talked about their exciting evening. Tobey was still teasing Sid. "Imagine Sid finding a clue to a powerful recipe's hiding place after he completely klutzed-out and fell in a hole!"

"At least I'm not the klutz that was covered in mud and lost two races in a row!"

"I'd rather be covered in mud than stinky sewer juice and I didn't lose the second race! How could I have lost? You were in a hole!"

"I was in the alley first!"

"Would you guys just knock it off, we're here! Be serious!" Sue jumped her bike up on the curb and hopped off while it was still rolling.

They were in front of Mrs. Thompson's used bookstore, 'Chinatown Rare Books'. They really hoped they would be lucky enough to find the book at the first place they stopped.

"It would be so great to find one magic recipe that we don't have to fight Kong Li for and he'll never get the chance to use it. We'll get it to Nana before he even knows it exists." They boys agreed took off their helmets and hung them from their handlebars before going in. Tobey was first up the five steps to the entrance with Sue and Sid right behind him.

The little bell rang as they walked in, but Mrs. Thompson didn't turn around to greet them. She was shuffling nervously through a stack of books on a cart near her desk.

"Hey Mrs. Thompson?" Tobey began, but she interrupted him "Just a minute I am helping this customer first. I know I have the book 'The Egyptian Book of the Dead' that he wants someplace!"

They were surprised at the title of the book she was already trying to find and looked to the back of the store where she pointed. Her customer was the cape-shrouded Kong Li himself! He was standing near the back of the bookstore behind a row of shelves that held the mystery book section.

"NO! Kong Li?" Tobey shouted and they ran to the back of the store. They surrounded him and took up their defensive stances in between the rows of double-sided bookcases. Mrs. Thompson was too involved in looking through the stacks of books near the front door to see what was happening between her customers yet.

Sue whispered to Sid. ". . . and he's here looking for the same book we are!"

"Well if it isn't Nana's little rejects come to spoil my visit to the bookstore too? I only want to enrich my life with the addition of more books in my home."

Sid spoke up, "Whatever you're doing here - we know it isn't innocent!"

"How did you find out about the book?" Tobey demanded, but didn't really expect an answer. Kong Li laughed maniacally and swung his staff at him.

Tobey rolled away. Sue jumped forward next and kicked, but Kong Li blocked and pushed her. Tobey caught her and kept her from falling. He delivered a punch of his own but it was also blocked by Kong Li's staff. In two more strikes of the red staff, Kong Li had Tobey face-down on the carpet.

After a blocked punch Sue fell back but still had a tight hold on Kong Li's cape. She dropped and rolled back to throw Kong Li over her head by his cape, but Kong Li grabbed her too and being the heaviest, threw her into the air before she could take him down.

Sue charged back at Kong Li and delivered an impressive series of punches and blocks while Tobey held his head for a moment before standing again. Sid instructed, "You guys take Kong Li - keep him busy while I find the recipe!"

"Right!" Tobey agreed eagerly.

"Right, um sounds easy!" Sue charged him again. Sid ran back to the front of the store to talk to Mrs. Thompson.

Sue's next punch was met by a side kick from Kong Li. His foot connected with her side before her palm could touch his face. Sue flew backwards through the air. She twisted in mid-air to try and protect her head before she crashed into the third oak bookcase in the row.

Tobey flew back the other direction and hit the wall after Kong Li's staff struck him again.

Sue hit a shelf hard enough with her shoulder that the bookcase rocked back on the soft carpet. A few books on the back side fell off the top shelf. The weight changed and the bookcase rocked back toward Sue. The base, under the bottom shelf squeaked loudly as the nails came out and the wood cracked. The books over Sue's head shifted and started sliding out farther. The weight of the shifting and falling books caused the bookcase to continue to fall toward Sue!

Among the books that had already fallen on her Sue strained, trying to push herself up to crawl out from under it, but her body felt so heavy. Books started hitting her back and bouncing off the back of her head. The carpet started spinning under her hands as she started to feel dizzy.

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Kong Li thought Tobey was down, and was satisfied that Sue would not bother him anymore, he ran quickly to the front of the store to attack Sid.

"I don't know what happened to it! I'm sure I have a copy of 'The Egyptian Book of the Dead" around here somewhere. Mrs. Thompson explained. Sid was involved in talking with her when Kong Li attacked him from behind.

Mrs. Thompson ran to hide behind her desk. Sid didn't see where Sue and Tobey had wound up, but was irritated that they hadn't at least shouted a warning at him. He didn't have time to yell at them before Kong Li body-slammed him. He hit the wall by the front door and banged his head.

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Tobey got up quickly from where he was lying and saw the bookcase just as it started to fall on Sue. She was on her hands and knees in front of it. He caught the top edge of the bookcase with both hands just in time to keep it from crushing her. The rest of the books showered down on her and pushed her down flat on the carpet.

Tobey strained under the weight of the heavy oak bookcase. "SUE! Get out from under it! I can't hold it!" The shelves on the back of the case were still lined with books and made it very heavy.

He yelled at her, but he didn't see her crawling out or hear her answer him. "SUE? Ahhnnn!" he strained harder. He couldn't bend over to see where she was and hold the bookcase up at the same time.

Oh man, she must be hurt! Tobey thought as he stuck his leg under the edge to help support it on his thigh.

"Sue? Answer me!" The bookcase slid down closer to his knee and he gritted his teeth.

"AAhhgh! SID! Help!"

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Sid found himself flying through the air after a lucky kick from Kong Li. The polished wooden floor at the front of the store, made a nice hollow sound as his body slammed down on it. He rolled twice before hitting the wall by the cash register with his head – again! That was when he heard Tobey yelling.

Sid yelled back, "Tobey! Sue! Kong Li is kicking my butt! Where are you?" Sid was greatly annoyed that he found himself alone in the fight.

Kong Li jumped to Sid while he was still down and grabbed him by his shirt to pick him up. "I will kick more than just your butt you brat."

Mrs. Thompson stayed behind her desk watching this strange grown man and Sid fight. She knew Sid well and knew he had just turned sixteen. All three of the teens came in often with their Nana looking for books. She thought they were all nice, polite kids and couldn't believe this 'adult' was beating Sid up – right in front of her. She would have called 911, but Sid's body had smashed the phone when he landed on her desk after a particularly cruel hit by the man using his staff.

Kong Li held Sid up by his shirt to threaten him some more. Sid struggled to pull Kong Li's hands off of his shirt, and when he kicked, Kong Li struck his legs with the staff. He kept yelling for his friends to come help him, and they weren't coming, so she decided it was up to her.

She had seen enough, Mrs. Thompson stood up and scooted her glasses down off her nose. They bounced at the end of the delicate chain that held them around her neck. She put her hands on her hips and tried to look threatening.

"Stop it you brut – leave him alone – he's a minor! What's going on here?"

"Sorry Mrs. Thompson – we'll just be another minute more!" Sid promised as he used his feet to push back out of Kong Li's grip in spite of another strike by the staff.

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By now, Tobey was really straining to keep the huge, oak bookcase half full of books from crushing Sue. Sweat ran down his face and dripped off his chin.

"Sid! HELP US! Sue's gonna be crushed!"

"What? No!" Sid broke away from Kong Li and ran toward the back of the store. "Tobey I'm coming!"

Kong Li pulled Mrs. Thompson out from behind the desk and demanded that she find him the book immediately.

"I can't find it! Maybe my husband sold it over the weekend!" Kong Li pushed her aside and started knocking stacks of books over and sweeping them off the shelves with his staff. She slid down the wall and wound up sitting on the floor in the corner.

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As Sid got close, all he could see of Sue was her hand, and Tobey was about to lose his battle with the bookcase that still threatened to crush her.

"SUE!" Sid got next to Tobey and helped to lift up on the bookcase. Together they lifted the bookcase up high enough to rest across Sid's thighs.

"Ok – Tobey, I got it - pull Sue out!" Tobey ran to the side that was closest to her hand and crawled under.

"Ahnnngh!" Sid gritted his teeth and pulled up harder on the case determined not to let it crush both of them.

A moment later he saw Tobey backing out, pulling Sue facedown along by the shoulders of her shirt. Her face rested on his arm. When her legs were clear Sid let the case fall and jumped over it to get to her side. He helped Tobey roll her over. Tobey was very worried and needlessly instructed Sid, "Easy! Don't hurt her!" as they tried to make her comfortable and wake her up.

The boys looked over to where Kong Li was harassing Mrs. Thompson. Sue moaned and put her hand to her head bringing their attention back to her.

"Tobey, go get him – help Mrs. Thompson! I'll be there as soon as I make sure Sue is alright."

"Ok Sid." Tobey would have whined about having to face Kong Li alone, but he was very worried about Sue. He bravely got up and jumped into a run right at Kong Li. He yelled a kung fu 'Ki' worthy of Bruce Lee himself as he jumped up to kick Kong Li away from Mrs. Thompson.

After a well-placed kick, Kong Li fell against the wall this time and staggered forward. He snarled and turned to face Tobey.

"You sneaky little reject, kicking a guy in the back. Doesn't your Nana teach you anything about honor?" he pointed at Mrs. Thompson "YOU! Find me that book!" before lunging at Tobey.

"You're not anyone to talk about me about honor!" Tobey said as he lowered into his defensive stance, ready to fight alone for as long as he had to.

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Tobee continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 2

By Crystalquirt

Finding clues of a recipe being hidden nearby send the kids to the local used bookstore, where they unexpectedly encounter Kong Li. He uses a recipe to separate them to try to get what he wants. They are sent to a magical dimension where they experience their worst fears.

Violence, more violence, scary situations, attempted sexual assault, mild expletive.

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FROM PART 1

"You sneaky little reject, kicking a guy in the back. Doesn't your Nana teach you anything about honor?" he pointed at Mrs. Thompson "YOU! Find me that book!" before lunging at Tobey.

"You're not anyone to talk about me about honor!" Tobey said as he lowered into his defensive stance, ready to fight alone for as long as he had to.

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Sue kept her eyes squeezed shut as she brought both hands to her head. "I feel like Tobey's been playing the drums on my head."

Worried about her, Sid leaned over her, "MeiMei, are you hurt badly?"

"I don't think so, no - I'm fine." She winced when she tried to roll over to sit up.

"Sit here until you are sure – I gotta go help Tobey-OK?"

"Go Sid! I'll join you as soon as I can!"

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Tobey slid head-first across the top of Mrs. Thompson's desk, overturned her chair and hit the wall. He slid down the wall to the floor holding his head. It took some extra effort for him to stand back up, and he still looked a little shaky. Kong Li advanced on him, and made him back up tight to the wall.

With Tobey against the wall, Kong Li threw a vial of something he could only guess was a recipe at him. Tobey ducked and it hit the wall behind him and broke. Kong Li held his hand out toward Tobey and chanted "Ku-Fio-Fu."

Tobey put his hands up to protect himself from whatever Kong Li was conjuring. But it seemed like nothing happened. Nothing happened in front of him at least.

Kong Li backed away slowly, laughing and looking very pleased with himself.

"You are done for now, my little enemy."

"How am I supposed to be done for - old man, nothin' happened." Tobey was feeling cocky, until the phenomena behind him caught his eye and he turned to look.

Against the wall behind Tobey, the recipe turned the old, poured-concrete wall into a swirling pool of glowing energy that looked alive. It concentrated into a round spot just two feet across that glowed orange.

The swirling vortex spot in the wall wasn't bad enough, but two slimy, warty tentacles snaked their way through the wall at him. "GROSS!" Tobey yelled when they brushed against his shoulders and started to wrap around him.

Tobey jumped away, head first back over the desk. As his legs went over, the tentacles followed farther through the wall and grabbed him around his left ankle in mid-air. Tobey was jerked to a stop and landed on the floor. He rolled onto his back trying to kick the tentacles off with his free leg, but he was picked up by his ankle and pulled across the top of the desk toward the glowing orange place in the wall.

"SID!" he screamed and rolled onto his stomach knocking the rest of Mrs. Goldberg's belongings off the desktop. Even though he was kicking ferociously the tentacles grabbed his free leg and pulled his ankles together. Tobey kept screaming and grabbed onto the front edge of the desk, but the tentacles pulled him and the desk to the wall.

Sid was already on his way, but had to stop and deal with Kong Li for a moment first. Kong Li attacked him and tried to keep him from passing. When he saw Tobey get caught by the tentacles he quickly left Sue and tried to avoid Kong Li's attack as he crossed the store, but Kong Li blocked his way and forcefully delivered the palm of his hand to Sid's cheek. Sid fell back into a roll and ran around Kong Li like they were playing. "Hey! Maybe I should play guitar AND football!"

Tobey's legs had already disappeared through the wall, all the way up past his knees and he was hanging on across the top of the desk for dear life! Sid grabbed both of Tobey's hands in his and leaned back with his knees against the front of the desk to pull. Tobey's scared eyes begging for help terrified him and just about broke his heart!

"Tobey – don't worry – I'll save you!" Sid promised even as every moment the wall claimed more of his best friend.

With Tobey in the wall all the way up to his chest, Sid tried even harder, he put one foot against the front of the desk and used his legs to try and pull him out, even though it seemed to hurt him.

Tobey gritted his teeth from the pain – it felt like Sid might just pull his arms off, but he didn't complain about it hurting. He screamed, not from the pain, but from being terrified he was being pulled away from his friends into an unknown.

Sue heard all the yelling and forced herself to get up to see what was happening. Her head and back were really sore where the books hit her, but she still managed to run toward the boys. Her way was blocked by Kong Li. She kicked at him he stepped back and hit her with his staff. She could hear Sid and Tobey yelling and tried hard to get past Kong Li right away, but he blocked her again.

Sid still had Tobey by both hands and now he had his foot up on the front of the desk trying to keep him from being sucked in any farther.

"Aaahn! Sid! Pull harder! – it's ok!" Tobey slipped in more, now he was in the wall all the way up to his neck. Sid jumped up on the desk, dropped to his knee and braced again with his foot on the wall next to the phenomena.

Tobey looked up at Sid once more with tears in his eyes before he squeezed his eyes shut. The hole in the wall got smaller around his face, so now all Sid could see was his nose and mouth.

Tobey changed his plea, "Sid let go – you'll be sucked in too!" It was the last thing he could say before his face disappeared completely into the wall, the wall filled in the space, like he was being sucked into vertical quicksand.

"NO! Tobey! I won't let go! I have to save you!" Tobey disappeared up to his wrists and Sid's hands started into the wall. "Tobey Please!-Dammit! Don't take him!" Sid strained so hard he cried out and growled as he pulled.

Soon, Tobey was completely in the wall and Sid's hands were too, still holding onto him. With one more yank Sid felt Tobey's hands slip away and he completely lost him. The glow went out and the wall solidified around Sid's hands.

"Tobey!" NO! Give him back!" he pulled on his own hands intending use them to punch a hole through the concrete wall, but he couldn't pull them out! "NO! Dammit! GIVE TOBEY BACK!" he screamed and kicked the wall over and over while he tried to pull his own hands out.

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Kong Li only fought with Sue to keep her at bay. He watched Sid struggle to save Tobey as much as he could, but also kept Sue busy so she couldn't get to them to help. He was really enjoying this day!

After a kick and thrust with Kong Li's staff, Sue landed on her already sore back. Before she got up she managed to look over just as Tobey disappeared. She yelled "No!" and Kong Li hit her in the shoulder with his staff. She rolled away from him and ran to Sid. Kong Li followed quickly - his cloak billowed out in the breeze made by his quick movement.

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When Sue got to her brother's side, he was sitting on top of the desk, kicking and trying to get his own hands out. The wall was solid so at least he wasn't still being pulled in.

"Sid! What happened to Tobey?"

"I don't know! I could feel his hands being pulled out of mine, in the wall! Aahhg!"

"We have to get your hands out! Does it hurt?"

"Not really – but I can't even move my fingers. Aaahgg! This is so frustrating!" Sid used his shoulders and gave his hands a good yank. He didn't show that doing that really smarted! The poured concrete that had reformed tightly around his hands didn't give at all.

Kong Li had been standing behind them watching. He interrupted, "Don't worry Sid and Sue - you will soon experience the same fate as your little friend."

Sue glanced back at Kong Li, but quickly looked at the wall where Sid's hands were stuck. She jumped up on the desk next to him and pushed on the wall all around his wrists, but only got more puzzled. It was solid, no cracks no soft spots. She kept looking back at Kong Li to make sure he hadn't moved.

Kong Li hadn't moved, but had started to chant again. "Ku-Fio-Fu." The wall around Sid's hands came to life again. It glowed orange and the surface started swirling. Sid pulled his hands out and scooted back. Sue jumped down behind him, grabbed him around the chest and pulled him back to get him off the desk. The tentacles followed out of the vortex and grabbed his wrists.

"OH NO! Sid!" Sue yelled and hugged him tighter trying to pull him away. Sid put both of his feet against the wall on either side of the phenomena and pushed but not matter what they did, he got closer and closer to the wall, soon his hands and arms went in. He pushed with his legs and pulled with his back and shoulders, and Sue had her arms around his chest pulling too.

Sid cried out through gritted teeth when he felt a sharp pain in his wrist.

"Sid! What hurt you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." Sue didn't believe him, and eased up on pulling for a few seconds afraid she was hurting him.

"I couldn't save Tobey and you won't be able to save me. Just let go Sue, don't get pulled in too. Nana will need your help to defeat Kong Li and hopefully find me and Tobey."

"No! I can't lose you too!"

"Ai-ya." Sid said quietly, giving up. His knees buckled and he gasped just before his head went in the wall. There was no way Sue was just going to let her brother go. She hugged him tighter and held her breath as she went in with him.

Kong Li raised his arms in victory. He threatened Mrs. Thompson again and told her she better find the book before he came back and then he vanished.

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Mrs. Thompson got quickly on the phone and called the police. Then she called Mei Hua. Nana got there very quickly and heard the story even before the police. After they heard Mrs. Thompson's story, the officers dismissed some of her explanation about what happened to her being scared, but Nana knew better. She was sure it had been something Kong Li did.

Nana examined the wall where Sid, Sue and Tobey had disappeared. She gathered up what was left of the vial that broke to try and figure out what recipe Kong Li had in it. Then she spoke to Mrs. Thompson again and convinced her to take her husband and go on a little trip someplace for a week. After being threatened by Kong Li, she was happy to agree to leave especially since Mei Hua promised to watch the store for her.

Nana only went home long enough to get some of her magical supplies and books. When she got back Mrs. Thompson was just leaving with a suitcase to meet her husband at the airport. "My husband was so happy to go! We are spending a week in Rapid City, South Dakota with his sister. We will be seeing the National Monument and everything!" Nana wished them a happy trip and went to her desk. She pulled it away from the wall and got set up to do some research.

Between what she smelled in the broken vial and her books, she found more information that lead her to make several discoveries. She learned that it probably wasn't a phenomenon that hurt them, at least not right away. It was a vortex or alternate dimension recipe. Those send anyone trapped by them to another place, where a person might experience all sorts of things.

One spell she found in particular, that glows orange when active, literally creates a place that knows the worst fears of the victim and makes them happen. Nana was very concerned that this is the one Kong Li used. It said in one of her books that this is an effective spell to cause deep emotional turmoil in those who are sent there and a 'common' side effect is suicide!

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

As they were falling head-first through a vast, open space Sue was still behind Sid with her arms wrapped around him. She was afraid to open her eyes until Sid put his hands over hers and called to her. When she looked up at him, he took her by one hand and pulled her around in front of him so he could hold onto her tighter. "What's happening Sid?"

"I don't know! Just hang on!" The siblings held on to each other tightly as a force propelled them through space exerting pressure from all directions on them. It felt like something was trying to pull them apart. They were sure they didn't want to be separated as they fell quickly through this . . . whatever this was.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Tobey woke up and found himself in a very large, empty space. The walls were very far away, if they were walls. He could just make out that this space was enclosed somehow, but huge. It was very bright too, but he could see no specific source of light. He stood up and started to walk to what looked like the wall, but after several minutes he thought he hadn't gotten any closer so he started jogging and then running.

Frustrated because he was still no closer, He stopped, out of breath and leaned forward with his hands on his knees. He wished for his bike for a moment, then thought since he didn't know where he was or if going anyplace was a good idea maybe having his bike would just get him more lost, faster. Either way, he wanted his bike.

While he was catching his breath, he heard footsteps echo around him. He looked around and saw Nana! She was walking towards him from across the brightly lit expanse. Her clothing was all white too and he could hardly see her from so far away. Tobey ran to her.

When he got close he put his arms out to hug her, "Nana! I'm so happy to see you!" Nana put her hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him away from her.

"Nana? What's wrong?" Tobey's feelings were a little hurt, but these were very strange circumstances. Maybe there was danger nearby and there was no time for a hug. He quickly looked around.

He continued, "Nana! Where are we? OH MAN! We have to get back to help Sue and Sid. They're fighting with Kong Li in Mrs. Thompson's bookstore!"

"It's just like you to leave Sid and Sue to fight alone! You are so useless!"

"Nana? Um . . . What?" Tobey was very confused.

"What are you doing here instead of helping them?"

"But, Nana? I really couldn't help it. Kong Li did something. . ."

"They will get hurt because of you! When I think of all the time and training that I have wasted on you, I just wish I had never adopted you when I found Sid and Sue!"

"But, these tentacles grabbed me and I couldn't get away and they pulled me into . . ." Tobey was speaking faster and his voice was getting higher as he got more and more confused and upset by what he was hearing.

"Don't interrupt! Sue and Sid are so much better than you. They try to depend on you and you let them down. You are like a third wheel – completely useless!"

"But Nana? I try hard – you said I was getting better when we last trained. I even mastered the ways of the Nian. You said so!"

"AGAIN – you don't LISTEN – I told you not to interrupt me!"

"Sorry Nana," he said in a softly. He was having a lot of trouble believing what he was hearing. Tobey went to his knees and put his hands up to his temples.

"You wouldn't have survived this long except for Sue and Sid saving your worthless life all the time. You are unskilled, undisciplined and have the attention span of a moth. You won't even try to meditate! I don't think you are capable of it."

"Please Nana? I'll do better!" He was becoming frightened. Nana had never said these things to him before. The floor under his knees was freezing cold and he fidgeted.

"Stay still! Even after all my training your Kung fu is still so weak!" Tobey didn't even see her move before her heel connected with his head. He was kicked just above his ear and he fell to the floor dizzy. He stayed on his side where he landed in a fetal position and put his hands up to both ears with his eyes squeezed shut. He was trying to escape from what could only be a nightmare.

Nana reached down, grabbed him by both wrists and yanked him back up. "Don't you dare cover your ears – you will hear me!" She did it so fast his hair blew around like there was a strong wind.

She tightly held both his wrists up in front of his face and he saw his hand was bloody. It was his blood from where Nana kicked him. "But Nana, I don't . . . ow." He whispered and closed his eyes to make the dizziness pass more quickly.

"NO buts'! You have no excuses Tobey! You don't know what a wonderful opportunity you had – yes – 'HAD' – you could have been a superhero and helped save Chinatown, but now you are going back to the orphanage. I will leave you at the curb like so much garbage!"

"No! Please you can't . . ." Tobey fell to his knees again.

"Of course I can. With you gone I can stop wasting my training on you and give more time to Sue and Sid, who truly deserve my attention. You have only been holding them back. Without you they will be able to defeat Kong Li easily. You will never see Sue or Sid again."

"No! Nana please! Please don't send me back! Do Sue and Sid know you feel this way?"

"Of course! They are the ones who first suggested that I send you back."

"No. they couldn't." He looked up at her with tears running down his cheeks and sniffled.

"Now you're gonna cry? You stay right here. I will be back to get you after I have made the arrangements."

Tobey's chest hurt, he started to watch her walk away, but couldn't see well for the tears. He squeezed his eyes shut to wipe his eyes. When he opened them Nana had already vanished.

"Nana – Please?" He got up and ran in the direction he thought she went, but couldn't find her.

"Alright – since this is how they feel, I will leave! But I won't go back to the orphanage. I can live on the streets - I've done it before – I can do it again." He shouted out loud and slowed to a walk and then stopped. He had his head down, his face covered with his hands.

At the thought of living on the streets alone again, Tobey dropped back down to his knees and slowly leaned forward to rest his forehead on the floor. No. I don't want this! How could she? I must be awful. I thought Sue and Sid were my friends, but I was wrong I guess and I won't make any friends on the street. I will only meet people who want to use me for things they wouldn't do themselves!

He started shaking. It was terrifying to him to think of having to live that way again. He remembered how lonely he was before he met Sue and Sid. He didn't want to steal, hurt anyone else or do other terrible things for each meal or a roof over his head. The orphanage was bad enough, but being on the streets was just terrible.

It felt like his heart was up in his throat trying to choke him. Tobey got up and ran again. Blinded by tears he just kept running in this great expanse – never coming to a wall, or doorway. The only sounds his sobbing and his footfalls as he ran.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

The siblings were exhausted, tossed around in this huge expanse for what seemed like forever, it was like they were falling, but they never came to the bottom. Finally the forces that had been pulling them in different directions, succeeded in pulling them apart.

Sid reached for Sue as he felt her losing her grip, but she slipped from his grasp anyway. He called to her and she screamed. An instant later, they couldn't see each other anymore.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Sid found himself lying on a hard, cold surface. At least he wasn't falling anymore and he didn't seem to be hurt! He moved carefully at first just in case something was broken and when he was sure everything was alright, he opened his eyes.

"Sue?" Sid looked around for her. He was lying face down on the floor in Jiang's smoothies. Tiffany and Stacy were sitting at a booth nearby laughing and pointing at him. Their hair was messed up and their clothes dirty.

"Wha . . ." he got up and went to their booth. He started to ask them something – but stopped to listen to what they were already saying about him. "What a klutz, did you see him? He fell over his own feet – some superhero. No wonder Kong Li beat him!"

"Ya, he's just a dork."

"What, Kong Li? Beat me! No way – we were in the bookstore, then I was falling through space with Sue. How did I get here and why is everything so messed up? Where's Sue!"

"What do you mean, you idiot? You probably rode your lame bike or something and we haven't seen Sue in days."

"Did I do something to make you guys mad?"

"Ya, you screwed everything up for everyone. We heard you got your sister and your skinny friend killed. Even if she's alive somewhere, she's probably too embarrassed to be seen with you after what happened."

"No way – Sue – dead? And you say it was my fault? I don't remember a thing! Hey – what happened?"

"Oh come on – don't pretend you don't remember and it was totally your fault everything that happened was your fault!" Tiffany sounded very angry.

"Since, Kong Li pronounce himself King, and sealed off Chinatown from the rest of the world, we are all little more than slaves. He has some kind of magical barrier around Chinatown and army of demons to keep us all from leaving." Stacy explained, a little more calmly than Tiffany would have.

"Ya and no one outside, can get in to save us."

"Chris's place here only has about two hours left before they will be here to take him to Kong Li. See? There's even a schedule!" Stacy pointed at a poster nailed to the wall. "We just came to try and console him."

For the first time, Sid really looked around. He was in Jiang's smoothies, but the only light was coming in from the broken and half missing windows. It was dirty, and it looked like the electricity was off, the refrigerator behind the counter was empty and standing open. The fruit on the counter was all rotted. Chris was there, but his clothes were ripped and dirty and he was sitting in a booth on the other side with his head on the table like he was sleeping.

Sid went to look at the poster. It said 'Schedule' at the top. It was a list of all the local businesses and when they would be shut down. A list of the business owners' names were listed along the side with the times they were to report for their new assignments, mostly involving building Kong Li's new castle.

Sid went quickly to Chris. "Hey man, are you alright?"

He looked up at Sid, with big dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm surprised you have the nerve to show up around here – or anywhere in Chinatown. Too bad you weren't just a little better with that thing – perhaps things would have turned out differently for all of us."

It looked like Chris had pointed to Sid's shoulder. He looked, and there was a bow on a strap across his back and a quiver of arrows. He looked down at his clothing and it was all black and tight like a ninja wore.

"Ai-ya . . . I don't use weapons!"

"Well that was obvious."

"Come on tell me, what happened?"

"Just get out of here – you don't want to be here when they come to gather me and take me to Kong Li's castle. Kong Li put a price on your head, I guess I could collect it, but money won't do us much good if we are just slaves working for him now will it."

Sid stared at the floor as he went through the broken door and out into the street. There were no cars or anybody walking around. A fire hydrant sprayed forty feet in the air and made a rainbow in the mist surrounding it.

Down the block a building was on fire and with no one around, it was just going to burn to the ground, maybe taking the block with it. Smoke was thick on the street and made Sid cough while he looked around trying to make sense of it all.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Sue woke up in her own bedroom, in her bed. She looked around and everything looked fine. Her lucky cat alarm clock said it was late morning and her calendar said Sunday. She jumped out of bed and ran to the boys' room still in her pajamas. She was very relieved to find them there and backed out without waking them.

She changed her mind and went back in, "Hey! It's almost eleven am! What are you two still doing in bed?"

Sid groaned and rolled over "What're you doing awake so early Sue? We had a real late night you know."

"Well what happened to Kong Li and Mrs. Thompson? Did you find the recipe?" she paused for a moment ". . . and why can't I remember? WE were sucked into a wall and I was . . . "

"SUE! You must have been dreaming or something – everything's fine. Nana has all the recipes that she's supposed to have." Tobey said from under the covers.

"Well ok?" Sue was still not sure. She ran down stairs in her flannel pajamas taking five steps at a time. She hadn't seen Nana anywhere, or Mr. Wu. Maybe he went to get his own Sunday paper since they were all still in bed.

She went in the kitchen and greeted Barney on her way to get something for breakfast. Barney stopped what he was doing, said nothing, and just looked her up and down with a smirk on his face. "What's up Barney?" Sue noticed he was still looking at her.

"I just never noticed how hot you are baby!"

"Baby?" she giggled.

"Ya baby – you are a pretty sweet thing." Sue totally forgot what she was doing and dropped her bowl on the floor.

"Barney? What's going on?"

"Nothin' special . . . Cutey." He put the hunk of meat he had been cutting up back on the counter and took off his gloves. Sue watched him. He looked weird, and this was so unexpected, she didn't know whether or not to be excited or suspicious. Maybe he was planning to put a raw egg in her hair or something.

Sue bent down to pick up the bowl and when she stood up he was right behind her. She started and stepped away to put the bowl in the sink. He was very close to her, smelling her hair.

"Alright Barney, why the familiarity all of a sudden?" She felt her cheeks burning she was blushing so much.

"Oh nothing, I think you've been 'wanting' me for a while, and I just thought I would let you know I've caught your hints. Why don't we go in the storeroom?"

Sue giggled again. She had wanted Barney to notice her for so long, now it seemed to be happening, but it felt so weird. It was even a little creepy. She declined his invitation to the storeroom and suggested they sit out in a booth and talk until the restaurant opened.

"Talk? We can talk in the storeroom while you help me a minute. Come on – I know you've been wanting to . . . um . . . help me with something.

Even though every instinct she had was screaming at her that something was wrong, she melted and agreed to go with him. She liked the way he smelled and loved the attention he was finally giving to her.

Once they were in the storeroom. Barney put his arm around her shoulders and gently guided her in front of the shelves away from the door. She allowed it and watched him, he was so handsome and smelled so good of raw meat and curry powder.

He leaned in cautiously and their lips were very close. She pulled back a little, but found herself against the shelves. She relaxed and let him kiss her. Her knees felt shaky and she felt like she was melting again until she felt his hand going up her pajama shirt.

"Hey, no! I really like you, but we can't do that. Not yet." she slid sideways away from him, but he followed, staying way too close. His presence started to feel very threatening.

"Come on Barney, please understand. Your right I really like you a lot. I just want to take it slower."

"What makes you think it's all up to you? I think I should have a say-don't you?"

Sue was still backing away down the counter now. He was still keeping up, and as she got closer to the door, he stepped in front of her and slammed it.

"Haha, Come on Barney let me out."

"No"

"I-uh, gotta go find Sid. He should have been up hours ago –he's right upstairs, so is Tobey.

"Well ya, but they are sleeping and I know you wouldn't want to wake them up." Sue found herself against the wall again. She instinctively put her arms up in front of her to defend herself, but still – come on this was Barney she told herself. I trust him - we've been friends for a long time.

"What's this? Are you gonna use your Kung Fu on me. Mei Mei?" Sid's nickname for her sounded very wrong coming from Barney. He quickly grabbed both her wrists and held them tight enough to hurt.

"Ow, Barney, that's too hard. You better let me go, NOW!" she gave him about a second before she executed the move Nana taught them to break out of someone's hold, but it didn't work! He still had a firm grip on her wrists. She struggled and looked at the door.

Her little voice kept telling her this is Barney, you don't want to hurt him – but he was hurting her a little, and starting to frighten her a lot.

"That's it, let me go!" He ignored her, put both her wrists in one hand and was still able to restrain her. With the back of his fingers he touched her cheek and then her neck. She turned her head away thinking she would warn him one more time before she went kung fu all over his butt.

If you don't let me go now, you will be sorry! I don't want to hurt you."

"Come on, your just a dumb girl – you can't hurt me."

That did it, now her fear turned into anger. She frowned at him deciding which part of him she should hurt first. It didn't take her long to make up her mind. She brought her knee up in between his legs but she was surprised when he easily blocked it.

He growled as he flipped her around to face the wall. He pressed hard in the middle of her back and put his mouth on her neck. He bit her! She yelled at him and tried with all her might to push back away from the wall. He let up just a little. Only enough that he could reach in front of her and grab her pajamas.

With one yank, all the buttons came off the top of her pajamas. She screamed now, she screamed for Sid then she screamed Tobey's name while she struggled with no result, accept to make Barney laugh at her!

Please wake up guys! Come down here! She thought as she screamed louder. Barney didn't seem to mind that she was screaming at first. But soon put his hand over her mouth and pressed her against the wall with his chest. He still had his hand in her shirt.

She got tears in her eyes and she tried to talk through his hand. Maybe he was under the influence of some kind of awful magic recipe? She was sure Barney wouldn't act like this, unless something really powerful and bad was affecting him. His hand slid down past her stomach and she felt his fingers go into the waistband on her pants.

She squealed and slid down the wall away from him. As she went, she bit his hand! He cried out in pain and fury and let her go for a second, but was on her again before she could get to the door. She screamed as loud as she could and hit the floor on her back with him on top of her.

She kept screaming until he backhanded her, striking her cheek. His wrestling ring cut her and a little trickle of blood ran down from her cheek to her neck. Her blood got smeared across her cheek as they fought and made the wound look even bigger than it was.

Her flannel pajama top was open in the front and with one hand she covered herself up with the material.

"Girl! You're really starting to annoy me! I thought you liked me!" He covered her mouth again, this time with a dirty kitchen towel that had fallen off the counter above them. Sue tried to bite him again, but only got a mouthful of towel.

Tears ran into her hair at her temples as she tried to kick him off of her. She couldn't believe this was Barney! How could he be doing this? AND where was Sid and Tobey!

The Barney she thought she loved was getting rougher as he man-handled her. She hit his arms and anything else she could reach and he just ignored her and ripped her pajama's some more.

A loud noise made by the door slamming open, startled Barney and he stopped. They both looked for the source of the noise and Sid was standing in the doorway still wearing his 'Cars' pajamas!

"MeiMei?" he stared for a moment trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Barney!" he growled "How could you do this to Sue!" he ran forward and knocked Barney off of her with his elbow. He scooped her up in his arms and hugged her. "Sue? Oh man! Are you ok? " he pulled his Cars pajama shirt off and covered her before he turned to face Barney and demand an explanation.

Sue watched in horror as Barney growled and charged at Sid. He body slammed her unsuspecting brother and they both fell against the shelves. Sue scooted back against the counter and begged them to stop fighting while she put her arms through Sid's pajama sleeves.

Barney kicked Sid in the stomach with his shoe. All Sid wore was pajama bottoms and no shoes.

"How dare you interrupt my fun?"

Sid took his kick and delivered a palm to Barney's gut. "Your fun? Have you gone crazy? Barney – you were about to . . . you were hurting Sue!"

Barney tackled him and they rolled around on the floor until they rolled into the front of the counter. Sid was on the bottom and Barney put both hands around his neck. Sue was still begging Barney to stop!

"Barney NO! Don't hurt him! Get off!"

Ignoring her, Barney squeezed Sid's neck tighter, Sue grabbed Barney and tried to pull him off. Barney stopped choking Sid long enough to knock her away with his elbow.

Dammit – I couldn't get myself out of trouble – and now I can't help Sid! What's going on here? Sue was really freaking out – it seemed her skills were all gone.

Sid pried Barney's hands off his neck and got his legs under his stomach. He pushed Barney off of him over his head. Sid jumped up and grabbed Sue to run with her. Barney tackled Sid again and knocked both of them down.

"Barney! Stop!" Please – you're fighting with Sid – your friend." Barney laughed, "No – I'm gonna kill him!"

Sue watched Sid gasp when he heard Barney's threat. With determination Sid got up and pushed Barney away to try again to run out with Sue. Barney grabbed a knife off the counter and slashed at Sid. Sue screamed when Sid cried out and stopped, blood running down his back. She jumped in-between Sid and Barney and he knocked her to the side.

Sue fell down again and looked back at them in disbelief! Barney had just . . . Even though she could see him, she just couldn't believe that this was Barney – Barney wouldn't act like this.

"Barney stop! You're our friend."

"Ya? Well I don't mind calling you friend 'sweetie,' but I'll make him pay for interrupting us!"

Sue saw Sid was still bent forward in great pain as Barney lunged at him again. Sid managed to grab his arm and they wrestled over the knife. Sid screamed as he slid across the floor on his back leaving a smear of blood.

Sue grabbed Barney around his chest and tried to make him let go of her brother.

"Barney! Dammit! Get away from him – stop!" Barney totally ignored Sue and got one hand free from Sid's hold. He used it to punch Sid in the jaw, snapping his head to the side. Then he went after Sue again. Barney grabbed her and tried to pull Sid's pajama shirt away from her.

"Dammit Barney! Stop!" Sid got up and charged him, and as he got close Barney turned to face him. Sid gasped and bent over before he stepped back. Barney stopped and backed up with blood on his hands.

Sue watched in horror when her brother tried to stand up straight and she saw the knife handle sticking out of his chest. Instead of standing, he went to his knees. She screamed slid to her knees beside him and put him on the floor gently.

Barney stood nearby wiping Sid's blood off his hands.

Sue told Sid to stay still, "Barney! Call 911!" Sid blinked and shook his head like he was trying to stay awake. "Sid hold on – Barney! HELP!"

"Why should I?"

Tobey opened the door and came in. Sue saw him and yelled, "Tobey! Call 911 – Tobey was already dressed and had his phone with him. So he dialed right then and kneeled down beside Sid too.

Sid moaned and gritted his teeth. Sue held him still and tried to comfort him.

"Awe look, why don't you let me finish him off, he's suffering. How cruel are you?" Barney grabbed another knife off the counter and started to walk toward them again. Tobey handed his phone to Sue and stood up. As Barney got closer, Tobey stepped over Sid to face him. Barney stopped and looked Tobey up and down. Sue felt like she couldn't breathe not knowing if Barney was going to hurt Tobey too.

Before Barney left the storeroom, he told her, "You and me will have a date later' Sue cringed. Tobey kneeled quietly by Sue again, the 911 operator was asking her a bunch of questions, but she could barely speak she was so upset. Tobey could hear the operator tell Sue that they were on the way and would be there soon.

Sue handed Tobey's phone back to him. She had a hundred thoughts running through her head. Blaming herself because Sid had been injured protecting her – why did he have to protect her from Barney? And why couldn't she have protected herself – it should have never come to a point where he had to 'save' her – she hated having to be 'saved'!

Sue watched Sid breathing very shallow and fast. He started to pull out the knife himself, but she stopped him. "Help will be here soon!" She watched him put his head down on the floor and shut his eyes. "Sid! Don't you dare die! . . . Sid? . . . SID!"

Terror washed over Sue when Sid tilted his head back farther and made a motion with his mouth open that looked like he was gasping for air. But no air was moving! Sid's eyes opened. Sue held her hand close to his mouth and nose to check - after he made the gasping motion three times he didn't move anymore.

Sue looked desperately at Tobey. He had his face covered with his hands, sobbing, his shoulders shaking. Sue started crying hysterically.

She picked Sid up by his shoulders and hugged him tight to her chest. She shook him and called to him. Her brother's blood got on her hands and soaked what was left of her pajamas. She put him back down and tried to do CPR but the knife was in the way and every time she pressed over his heart, he bled more, thinking that couldn't be good, and having no one with more experience to help she stopped.

She didn't know how long they sat there crying. It seemed like an eternity. The paramedics never came. Sue got one hug from Tobey, and then he was gone. She didn't see him leave. He was just gone. She couldn't find him after she had been staring at Sid's body for a while.

Sue kept checking for Sid's pulse, and tightly held his hand. She laid her head, right ear down, on his chest trying to hear a heartbeat, and there was nothing. Her head rested on her brother's chest for so long, his body felt cold next to her ear.

Not only couldn't I protect you, I couldn't protect myself and that's what got you killed. Guess Barney noticing me wasn't such a good thing. I don't want to go on without you.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Instead of finding the Black Liquid recipe from inside the book, Nana decided she needed to find the portal recipe and get it back from Kong Li so she can get the kids back. She did all she could at the bookstore and went back to Wu's about five in the morning.

Nana did some additional research and found a 'seeing' portal recipe. It wouldn't do to bring them back, but it would allow her to see where they went and what is happening to them. When the recipe was prepared, she went to her room and got a picture of Sue, Sid and Tobey out of her album. She took a mirror off the wall and took it with the picture back down to the storeroom.

On the back of the counter, first the picture went against the wall and then she stood the mirror up in front of it. Nana took a spoon and covered the mirror with some of the recipe from the bowl. The edges of the mirror glowed and a fog formed over the glass. When it cleared Nana could see clearly past the mirror into a bright white expanse, but she couldn't see the teens. "Oh, no maybe they are no longer together! I hope I am wrong."

Nana went back up to her room and got three individual pictures of each of them from the album. She washed the mirror off and started over. This time with Sue's picture first. She watched in horror as Sue and Sid fought with Barney and gasped when it looked like a knife went into Sid's chest.

She watched a little more, and saw that Tobey didn't leave the room. He vanished like reflected light disappearing. She pulled Sue's picture out and put Sid's picture behind the mirror next, anxious to see if his death was real. When he appeared he was in a totally different place. Alone and in strange clothing, she realized these were the illusions they were experiencing.

After using Tobey's picture she saw him just lying on a white floor sobbing. Saddened by what she sees, she wanted to waste no more time and find Kong Li.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Tobee continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 3  
By Crystalquirt

Sue, Sid and Tobey disappeared from the bookstore thanks to a spell conjured by Kong Li. He used a recipe to separate them to get them out of his way while he finds the most powerful Black Liquid recipe. They are lost in a magical dimension where they experience their worst fears.

Nana has figured out where they are and is going after Kong Li to get the recipe he used to get them back. Once she finds them, they still have to get the Black Liquid recipe back from Kong Li!

Violence, more violence, possibly disturbing and scary situations, mild expletive.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}  
FROM PART 2  
She watched a little longer, and saw that Tobey didn't leave the room. He vanished like reflected light disappearing. She pulled Sue's picture out and put Sid's picture behind the mirror next, anxious to see if his death was real. When he appeared he was in a totally different place. Alone and in strange clothing, she realized these were the illusions they were experiencing.

After using Tobey's picture she saw him just lying on a white floor sobbing. Saddened by what she saw, she wanted to waste no more time and find Kong Li.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Nana learned from her research, that Sue, Sid and Tobey won't be able to get back without help from the outside. Not without her help. And they have to find each other first, and all have to realize none of what they are experiencing is real!

The most frustrating thing was if they needed her for guidance or help of any kind, she couldn't go in after them. There must be someone outside of the portal to get them back.

Nana sighed and added the mirror and pictures to her bag, intending to watch some more so she can open the portal at the right time for them to get back.

Also, to find them the spell would need to include something belonging to them, personally – like a sample of hair to find them in this other dimension. It's the only way to get the portal to open near them so they can use it to get back before it dissolves.

Nana ran to their rooms and got each of their brushes and combs. She sealed each in its own plastic bag and added them to her bag of herbs. She left to go hunt down Kong Li and get the recipe by any means necessary!

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Sid started to run back to Wu's, but through the smoke saw his bike sitting in front of Jiang's.  
"Ai-ya, I know I left it in front of the bookstore. Why don't I remember any of this? I have to find Nana! She will know what's going on." His bike helmet wasn't with his bike and he wondered how he would have left his bike somewhere without it.

"My helmet is probably where ever my phone went." He patted his ninja outfit down once more hoping to find it in a hidden pocket or something, but no luck.

It felt strange riding without his helmet. Cold air blowing through his hair gave him a chill and he got goose bumps. On the way back to Wu's he went by the bookstore. A fire had destroyed it and all of the books, the roof caved in while Sid watched.

Sid stood up to pedal up a hill and the bow shifted on his back. He glanced over his shoulder at it again. "Why would I be carrying a bow and arrows? I don't even remember Nana starting us in archery yet."

He really didn't want to think about what Tiffany and Stacy said about what happened, especially the part about Tobey and Sue until he found Nana. But his mind still wandered to them while he pushed hard to go up the hill.

No way! Sue and Tobey can't be dead! I would never have done anything so careless to cause something like that. Sue and Tobey will be at home with Nana when I get there, I'm sure. "I'm SURE."

Please don't let what they said be true! He swallowed tears and concentrated on flying very fast back down the hill.

Sid's tears wouldn't stay swallowed after he saw Wu's Garden. Windows broken, the front door missing. The kitchen had been blackened from a fire and the electricity was off here too. It was probably off all over Chinatown.

With tears running down his face and calling for anyone who might still be there, he rode his bike right in the open doorway and jumped off to run up the steps. The steps caved in when he jumped up them.

Sid yelled as he fell towards more darkness. The strap on the bow tightened around his ribs before it started to slide off over his head. He frantically grabbed for it and caught it with one hand.

Hanging in the hole was less than fun, the cobwebs sticking to him and the darkness under the old steps really 'creeped' him out and he hurried to pull himself up. He kicked with his legs and used the bow to climb out.

He sat near the hole on a step and looked back down, but it was too dark down there to see anything. If he had fallen, even if he didn't break something, he would have been trapped in-between the walls below, with no way to climb back out. Because of mold damage, Mr. Wu sealed up that corner of the storeroom years ago and it was cheaper to just treat it and wall it up than to remodel it.

Sid shuddered at the thought of being trapped down there and got up to continue to their rooms. The upstairs was not in any better shape than the downstairs and there was no one there either. When he went back down he jumped down over the hole he made on the way up and found a black cat waiting at the bottom for him. The black cat had a white spot on its head, and white feet.

Sid stopped to pet it, and wound up sitting on the floor with it. While he scratched the cat's white spot on his head, he remembered about Tobey transforming into a winged monkey, cat, dog and the Nian. He couldn't help but get tears in his eyes again. The cat was not thrilled about Sid picking him up to cry into his fur, but allowed it.

Sid thought about how he missed them all so much. Could he have been in the vortex for so long that all this would have happened while he was gone, and why didn't Sue and Tobey come back with him? He wondered, if he made it back, why didn't they?

He looked into the cat's eyes and asked him if he was Tobey. The cat just looked away like a cat does. Sid felt a little silly, but he wanted to see them so bad – he hoped for a moment that Tobey had found him. "I think I'll call you 'Tobey' anyway."

A headache was coming on, and the cat wanted down anyway, so he let it down before holding his head in both hands. He felt the bumps on his head where he hit the wall twice while fighting with Kong Li so he was sure that really happened, and happened recently since the bumps were still there.

Sid startled when he heard a noise. "Tobey?" It sounded like it came from downstairs and it didn't sound like a noise a cat would make. He took a flashlight with him to go check it out. Maybe the others were hiding down there.

Downstairs in the storeroom Sid, checked everywhere, in every crack and crevasse. The freezer door was open just a crack. Sid went over to shut it, not remembering that the electricity was off anyway. When he got close the smell reminded him. The warm, rotting food inside was really stinky!

While he was so close, Sid saw something move inside! He thought it could only be an animal looking for scraps – no human would be in there with that stink – he wasn't even inside the warm freezer and the smell threatened to make him throw up. Whatever moved was bigger than the cat.

Not wanting to seal someone's dog in the freezer to die, he wanted to make sure it was out before he shut the door. He approached cautiously, his voice a little shaky. "Hey puppy, get out so I can close the door and keep some of the stink in.

A strange growling, crying noise sounded just before the door flew the rest of the way open and knocked Sid down. A very stinky Mr. Wu came out, tripped over Sid and almost landed on him. Sid rolled out of the way and jumped to his feet. "Mr. Wu! I'm so happy to see you! Where're the others?"

Mr. Wu got up and the yelling began! "YOU! It's all your fault! I knew you would one day be the ruin of my restaurant, but I never imagined I would lose my son and mother too!" Mr. Wu pulled his fist back like he was going to hit Sid. Sid stepped back and put his arms up, but instead Mr. Wu just sat down on the floor with tears in his eyes.

"Oh Mr. Wu! You can't mean Barney and Nana are dead? What happened?" Sid fought hard to stay calm.

"No they aren't dead – at least they weren't when they were taken! Kong Li had them taken to his castle – he said Mom would be his 'special' slave. He offered a big reward for you after you got away. How could you get away without Mom? Why are you still free?"

"Mr. Wu I don't remember any of this. How could this have all been my fault?"

"How could you have forgotten something like this? Are you just playing innocent thinking that no one will be angry with you if you have amnesia?"

"No way Mr. Wu! I wouldn't . . . Never mind! Where is Kong Li's castle?"

"He's building his castle behind the graveyard."

"I'm gonna go get them out. What about Tobey and Sue – have you seen them?"

"No. I haven't seen them since the left here with you to go fight this guy, Kong Li! Now I find out that you three kids and my own mother were keeping secrets from me all this time. Why would you put yourselves in such danger? Why would you let my Mom put herself in danger? If I had known – I wouldn't have allowed it!"

"But Mr. Wu, Nana was training us to protect Chinatown – we had to do it. She chose us after it was foretold to her. It had to be us."

"Well, after all that, I guess it wasn't enough! You didn't do a very good job of protecting us or your sister and friend. Mom should have picked someone more responsible."

"I don't know what happened and I don't have time to explain anything to you anymore. I gotta get to Kong Li's castle and rescue everyone by myself."

Sid stomped back upstairs and ran out to his bike, wiping away tears. "I knew this would be too much! How am I gonna beat Kong Li and rescue everyone alone? Oh man, this is bad."

The closer he got to the graveyard, the more it looked like a war zone. Even the streets were torn up here. The graveyard was mostly still there, and a large stone building had been built behind it. There were multiple windows and entranceways.

Kong Li had used magic to even dig a mote! There was a drawbridge over it and everything. Sid recognized people he knew milling about carrying heavy rock and wood in one direction, while empty handed people went somewhere to get more.

There was a brown coat hanging on a post and he grabbed it. Then, under a parked car, he hid the bow and arrows, mumbling "I have no idea how to use these anyway." He put the coat on over his black clothes on his way to the construction area.

There was a young man with dirty blond hair trying to carry a railroad tie alone. When he joined him the young guy looked very sad, but he smiled gratefully at Sid and they carried it across the drawbridge together. They added it to the stack of wood that others were measuring and cutting.

The young guy went back out to get more. He looked around for the helper he thought he'd found, but couldn't find him. "Having someone to help would have been too good to be true anyway." He kicked a rock and joined the others to retrieve more railroad ties.

Sid remained inside and ducked down behind stacks of bricks. When he was sure it was clear, he made it to the steps and went upstairs. Once there, he took off the bulky coat and left it in a chair in the corridor.

As he moved quickly and quietly along, he noticed the other people he passed looked vacant like they weren't even there except in body. No one seemed to notice him. Their minds were obviously someplace else and they looked so sad.

The main structure was built out of stone and brick, and the first floor was unfinished compared to the second floor. Here the walls were tiled and he was walking on a polished redwood floor. He stopped and peeked through the first set of double swinging doors he came to and saw a huge kitchen.

A kitchen like Oprah must have, there were marble countertops, and huge stainless steel appliances. The kitchen was huge and had multiple work tables. There were many people working here, Mrs. Thompson was at the huge stove, cooking something, and Barney! He was at the sink filling up a pot with water from a golden faucet.

There were eleven other people in the kitchen with them, chopping vegetables, cleaning, doing dishes. Sid picked up a large tub of dirty dishes sitting just inside the door and went toward the sink like he was going to wash them. As he walked by Barney he got his attention.

Barney looked very surprised and came over to stand next to him at the sink and whispered, "Sid, what are you doing here? We all thought you were dead. Oh man, Nana will be so happy!"

It seemed Barney at least, wasn't angry with him. "I'm here to get you all out of here, but first I need to talk to Nana!"

Barney told him that Nana was being held the dungeons, underground. "What's going on, here – feeding Kong Li's workers?"

"Oh no, he doesn't feed anyone but himself like this. We're lucky if we get bread or rice and water once a day." Three people walked by in a line with huge turkey's on platters going to the ovens while Barney told him that Kong Li was having a big party that evening.

It was to celebrate his being crowned King. Their new 'King Li' promised to choose people who were especially loyal and hard working to hold positions of importance and rule at his side during the celebration.

Then he got very serious and spoke very softly, "Sid? You have to hurry – it has been announced that he will execute Nana at the party! I want to go with you to save her!"

"No, you will be more use to me here, get everyone ready to get out of here!" Sid patted Barneys shoulder and left to find the dungeons. Everyone ignored him the whole time he searched the bottom floor for the entrance to the dungeons. He found a trap door behind a stack of straw bales and slipped down with no one seeing him. It was dimly lit with torches.

Sid was completely horrified when he found Nana. She was chained to a wall with her arms high and out to her sides. He ran to her and tried to get the chains off. There were burns on her wrists where the chains had been welded closed and there was no way even a key would release her. She felt him pulling at the chains and opened her eyes to look at him. "Sid, you're still alive, that's a surprise."

He ignored her cold greeting. "Nana how do I get you free?

"You can't free me now, you have 'work' to do first and you have to hurry! They longer you wait, the stronger Kong Li will become. You have to fix what you did and save everyone in Chinatown all by yourself."

"Fix what I did? No Nana! I couldn't have been responsible for all of this!" He cried. Nana didn't answer him. "I can't leave you here and I can't beat Kong Li and save everyone alone!"

Sid hugged her until she had to tell him to let go. "Hurry, you are the only chance we all have now."

"Where are Sue and Tobey? I can rescue them and they can help!"

"Sid, don't you remember? You were there when Kong Li killed Sue! You were the one who told me about it. You also said you froze after it happened and couldn't fight. Since you were unable to save your sister, or get the recipe back, Kong Li won. He got all my magic recipes, pronounced himself 'King' and enslaved everyone in Chinatown."

"No I don't remember any of this! It makes no sense. If I froze and lost a fight with Kong Li, why am I the only one still free and what happened to Tobey?"

"You ran away."

"No. I wouldn't have done that – I wouldn't have run away and left them alone! I don't believe you. I don't even believe their dead. They must be being held here somewhere."

"No Sid, it will do no good to deny it, you told me before that you saw them die, you saw their bodies."

Sid refused to hear anymore. "Hang on Nana – I will be back as quick as I can." Sid ran out of the dungeons and back upstairs without being seen, at least not by anyone who cared about him being there. He headed down a corridor to the largest double doors at the end.

The tall, double doors had stained glass inlay and golden handles. Sid pressed himself flat against the wall to the side and wiped tears on the back of his hand. "This is so frustrating, no time to cry anymore! I promised I would protect Chinatown and my family and I guess so far, I have been doing a terrible job of it. I have to win this time."

He started to look through the doors, but he was breathing so hard, he was afraid someone would hear him. He leaned against the wall with his eyes closed for a moment and focused on calming down. Once he had a grip on himself, he cracked one of the doors just a little. The part of the room he saw was like a huge empty ballroom. It had fancy gold and red velvet chairs lining the wall.

Sid looked in a little farther and clear at the other end, there was a stage-like structure with red velvet curtains and a big golden chair in the middle with Kong Li sitting in it.

It looked like Kong Li was looking right at him with his ice blue eyes! Sid gasped and backed up letting the door close quietly. He turned to find his face against a very large chest. Arms attached to either side of the chest shoved him back through the doors.

He rolled backwards and jumped up on his feet. It was a large room, all gold and red and he was in the presence of King Kong Li. The chest that pushed him in followed him through the doors and he saw the rest of the guy was just as huge.

A second mountain of a man joined the first and they stood shoulder to shoulder just inside the doorway. They were both scantily clad and looked a little like wrestlers performing on TV. Sid remained in his tiger defensive position and looked over his shoulder at Kong Li.

"Well, if it isn't the little reject who ran away! I have to thank you – without you none of this would have been possible so soon – or so easily for me!"

"NO! I AM gonna fix this! Come down here and fight me right now!"

"You want to fight me alone? Have you become an even bigger idiot than you were the last time? Did you forget how I beat you, even when there were three of you? Did you forget how I killed your sister when you weren't fast enough to save her?"

"Then you really? Then Sue is really dead? NO!!" Sid ran in anger toward Kong Li. Kong Li held his hand out and effortlessly caught Sid in his energy bubble.

Sid kicked the inside of the bubble and yelled as he was lifted up off the ground. He had been trapped in one of Kong Li's magic fields before, only this time it flashed red and caused him severe pain. He thrashed, and his yelling in anger turned into screaming in agony.

Kong Li directed him back near the two large guards waiting by the door. It looked like a giant bubble popping when it disappeared. Sid fell back to the floor panting and shivering with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I don't have to fight anyone with such weak Kung Fu as you. In fact, I let my guards and my army do all my fighting now. Drag him away, put him in chains and make sure he never sees his 'Nana' again."

The two stepped forward intending to drag Sid away. "Wait! Please! You said you killed Sue. What happened to Tobey?"

"Did you bang your head or something? How could you forget what you did to the poor boy?"

"Maybe I did hit my head! I-I don't know – just tell me!"

"Well ok, let me refresh your memory – but I do it only because it will really hurt you." He motioned with a hand signal for the guards to grab Sid again.

Sid remained still and let them take his arms. He was totally focused on what Kong Li was going to say.

"During our fight, the fight I won, I was busy attacking your little reject friend, you readied an arrow to take me down. When you shot you missed me and hit your little friend, Tobey instead!"

Sid cried "no." softly and struggled weakly in the guards grip. Kong Li continued. "I can still hear him scream as he fell with an arrow, YOUR arrow in his gut."

Sid was speechless and couldn't breathe, he felt like he might never take another breath. Kong Li saw Sid drop his chin to his chest to stare at the floor. The scariest thing was happening in his mind. Now Sid was sure he was remembering it! He could see Tobey falling and remember how he felt when it happened.

Kong Li knew he was suffering, and just to torture him more, he continued. "Your friend was thrashing in agony, and calling your name . . . and then, instead of doing the 'responsible' thing, and going to your fallen friend – fallen by your own hands, you froze. You did nothing! I'm glad I've never had to count on you for help."

"No." Sid said very softly. He would have accused him of lying, but he could 'see' it all happening in his mind. "I'm sorry Tobey," he whispered.

"Me, being your merciful new King, wanted to end poor Tobey's suffering, so I went to him and pulled the arrow out, it caused him so much pain, he screamed for you and YOU STILL DIDN'T GO TO HIM TO HELP HIM!" Kong Li shouted at Sid like a preacher accusing someone of being the devil.  
"You just stood there with your mouth open."

"I saw you were doing nothing to help him, so I took action to stop the boy's suffering. Even though he was begging me not to, I plunged the arrow back into his chest, straight into his heart so his pain would end. Then you ran away!"

Blinded by grief and anger at himself, Sid swung his legs over his head and flipped out of the guard's grip. A round tiger kick knocked the closest guard off his feet. The second one made a grab for him. He rolled away and the guy just missed him.

Sid came up and delivered another round tiger kick to the large guy's belly. But it looked like the guy didn't even feel it so he tried again and the second time, the guard caught Sid's leg by his ankle. He pulled Sid off balance and pushed him to the floor. Sid was forced to roll over on his stomach by the guard twisting his leg around. "NO!-NO!-NO!" he screamed as each of the guards grabbed an arm and pulled him up.

They bowed to Kong Li before they left to take Sid to the dungeons. On the way down even though he didn't fight them anymore, they still handled him roughly. They yanked his arms and kicked his legs so he'd fall, then they'd yank him to his feet again.

Having enough, he tried one more time to fight and swung his leg suddenly. His foot made contact with the back of the guard's knee and he went down but the other one swung him around by his arm and slammed him into the wall. Sid put his free arm up to protect his head, and cried out when his shoulder came out of its socket.

Sid gritted his teeth and screamed loudly when the guard yanked him up by the same shoulder. At least it felt like it went back into place. The other guard punched him in the side when he caught his arm to continue dragging him along to his cell. The punch took his breath away and he hung in their grasp limply while he tried to catch his breath.

The guards tore his shirt off and took his shoes. He had no more fight left in him and allowed them to put chains on his wrists, just like Nana's. He struggled when the hot iron burned his wrists, and he jumped every time the hammer hit the hot metal. His screams echoed throughout the dungeons.

They dragged him into the center of the room and ran the other ends of the chains up through a metal ring suspending him from the ceiling. They pulled his hands up so high it strained his shoulders and it took some of the weight off his feet. Then they pounded the hot links together with a hammer so they wouldn't come apart.

Kong Li came down to visit his new prisoner just as they finished chaining him. He was apparently there just to annoy him. "So how does it feel knowing that you were responsible for all this? Mei Hua was so disappointed in you when I told her what had happened."

"Shut up!"

"Is that any way to speak to your King?" Kong Li took a step toward him and pulled his fist back.

Sid kicked his right leg to the left and swung it back high in an arch. His heel struck Kong Li's jaw as it came across. Kong Li recovered quickly and glared at him, but Sid's arms were still chained high above his head and couldn't do more.

"How dare you!" Kong Li hit him with the dragon headed end of his staff across his bare chest. Sid winced and tried to get away, "You are no king!"

He turned around enough in the chains that he was facing away from his tormenter. The next three strikes from the staff hit him across his back. His body shook with each hit and after the third, his head fell back and tears ran down his temples into his hair.

Kong Li went on congratulating himself and asking Sid pointless questions which he didn't answer. The two guards chained Sid's legs down and apart so there would be no more kicking of the 'King'. Now he could barely touch the ground with his toes, all his weight hanging on his burned wrists and dislocated shoulder.

Sid's vision was getting blurry and he thought he would soon pass out. Finally, Kong Li tired of the game and sauntered out of the dungeon saying he would give his regards to Mei Hua on his way out. Sid gathered enough strength to shout, "Don't you hurt Nana anymore! No . . ."

Alone in the dark, Sid sobbed for a while and then exhausted he closed his eyes and soon did pass out. His shoulder and arms hurt so bad that when he woke up he moaned and whimpered like a puppy.

He had no idea how long it had been, but there was a dim light coming through the large opening behind him and it was getting brighter. His vision was blurry and now his eyes were very sensitive to the bright light coming into the dungeon.

He turned around as far at the chains would let him by pushing with his toes on the ground but he still count see the source of the light. He blinked and turned his head as far as he could to look back. There was a thin female figure walking toward him.

The light seemed to be coming along with her. As she got closer he recognized her. It was Sue! He was excited at first and started to call to her, but stopped. He watched quietly some more, trying to figure out if she was a ghost, an angel or his imagination.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}  
Tobee continued . . .


	4. Chapter 4

Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 4  
By Crystalquirt

Sue, Sid and Tobey disappeared from the bookstore thanks to a spell conjured by Kong Li. He used a recipe to separate them to get them out of his way while he finds the most powerful Black Liquid recipe. They are lost in a magical dimension where they experience their worst fears.

Nana has figured out where they are and will go after Kong Li to get the recipe he used to get them back. Once she finds them, they still have to get the Black Liquid recipe back from Kong Li!

Violence, more violence, possibly disturbing and scary situations [suicide], mild expletive.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}  
FROM PART 3  
Sid turned around as far at the chains would let him by pushing with his toes on the ground but he still count see the source of the light. He turned his head as far as he could to look back and blinked to focus. There was a thin female figure walking toward him.

The light seemed to be coming along with her. As she got closer he recognized her. It was Sue! He was excited at first and started to call to her, but stopped. He watched quietly some more, trying to figure out if she was a ghost, an angel or his imagination.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}  
Part 4  
The brightly lit expanse had proved to be endless, at least as far at Tobey could tell. Exhausted from sobbing and running and being frightened out of his mind, he let himself drop to the floor on his butt before he threw himself back, legs wide apart, arms spread out to his sides not caring that the floor was freezing cold!

Eyes red and swollen, blood from the wound over his ear mixed with sweat and ran down the side of his face all the way down to his neck he looked bad. He had a tremendous headache and was breathing through his mouth trying to catch his breath.

Tobey's thinking was becoming very irrational as he thought about his situation. He decided it was completely hopeless! And he felt extra bad since he was losing his family because they were disappointed and very angry with him. It was very hard to not take it very personally. It's my fault, kept repeating in his thoughts. Sue and Sid would have each other, and Nana, but now he would be alone, again.

Nana hated him, she wasn't just mad at him. He was sure this wasn't going to pass. He looked down at his clothes, probably the last clothes he would own that he liked and got to pick out himself. His phone was still there too, for now, but he didn't have anyone to call except people who hated him. His thoughts were becoming more emotional, and less rational.

Then he started really fantasizing. Maybe I could get a job in a grocery store – now THAT would be the place for me! All that food! But they would never hire a homeless kid with a 'past'. Tobey took a deep breath and realized how hungry and tired he was. Maybe I can stow away on a ship, don't they need help on ships? Maybe I'm thinking of a pirate movie.

Tobey thoughtfully put his hand up to the cut on his head and found it had swollen up where Nana kicked him. I thought she loved me, Sue and Sid too. They all told me they did. Sid said I was like a brother to him. Tobey's lip quivered, "I love them – now they think I'm worthless. I just wanna die."

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

The wharf was very quiet at this time of night where Nana was. She hadn't found Kong Li yet. Very worried about Sue, Sid and Tobey she stopped out on a pier. Thinking Kong Li couldn't sneak up on her out here, she set up her 'seeing' portal recipe on a bench near where the boats tied up to unload. She had a very bad feeling about Tobey so she checked in on him first.

Through the mirror, she could see he had made no progress; he was still lying on the white floor flat on his back. The angle of the mirror showed Tobey's face clearly. At least he wasn't crying anymore and he was moving around a little. He had his hand to his head like it hurt and she could see blood.

Nana worried that he was injured seriously. That would explain why he was still just lying there. She found herself talking to him even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "Tobey! Get up and find Sue and Sid!" she kept watching him - hoping he would get up. He didn't make a move to get up, his lip quivered like he was going to start crying again. Nana read his lips when he spoke out loud and learned that he thought he was worthless and wanted to die.

Nana yelled at the mirror "Tobey no! Don't say that! You aren't worthless! Please get up and find Sid and Sue.

Even more afraid now that he wasn't going to make it, she watched him lying on the floor looking at his hands. She thought about going to him, but if she did that none of them could return. Nana quickly changed pictures behind the mirror and saw Sue was still sitting with what she thought was Sid's body! "Come on you kids – figure this out."

The cloaked figure with the pale blue eyes had found Nana before she could find him. Now he had the 'another dimension' recipe and the 'black liquid' recipe in several vials. Not worried about being able to defeat his strongest enemy now he walked toward Nana out on the dock, while she was occupied with what she saw in the mirror.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Tobey winced as his finger touched a really tender place on his head and he brought his other hand up. Both hands in front of his face, he looked at the blood that came from his head. Slowly, thoughtfully his hands went around his own throat and squeezed.

Must be some kind of stupid survival instinct keeping me from squeezing tight enough, even if I did I would pass out, I would let go before I finished myself off. He knew from the start that it wouldn't work, self-choking wasn't an option, but he was wishing it was. His hands fell out to his sides again. Now there was more blood around his neck and on his hands.

Starving would work, it would take longer – but if I'm on the streets again, I may not have a choice about it. He refused to ever do again what he did in the past just for a meal or a roof over his head. I will starve to death before I will hurt anyone else, or let them hurt me. Tobey wished he had a weapon of some kind. That would make it easier, he thought.

Thoughtfully, he brought his hand to his hip, and slipped it into his pocket. His fingers came out with his pocket knife. He pried open the blade and seeing it scared him a little, considering what he was thinking of doing with it. Would it really be 'easy?'

It would probably hurt a lot and the more he looked at it, he thought the blade wasn't really long enough to do much damage to his guts. His emotions were so raw he wasn't thinking clearly at all.

As he turned the knife over and over in his bloody hand, tears ran down his temples into his hair. He really looked like he had been in a train wreck.

Mean hateful thoughts played out in his mind - he was attacking himself. I probably wouldn't have the nerve to do it anyway. I'm a worthless a waste of air. Is that what Nana said? He couldn't remember for sure, her words all ran together after a while.

Tobey lifted the hand holding the knife and through teary eyes, stared at it and then at his wrist. He picked up his other arm so he could see it too. Lying on the floor, flat on his back he raised both arms up so he could see without picking his head up. He laid the knife blade against his skin and looked at it. They won't miss me, and this way no one will have to even feed me.

It stung like hell as he turned the edge into his skin and dragged down his wrist. Tobey gritted his teeth, changed hands and repeated the motion, cutting his other wrist. Blood dripped on his cheek.

Tobey sighed and let his arms fall back out to his sides. The knife slid away from him across the floor. Now it's done – soon Nana won't even have to waste cab fare to take me back to the orphanage. I'm not worth the gas it would take in a car.

Blood slowly pooled around his hands and then his arms. It was warm at first, but then Tobey realized how nasty his own blood felt as it got cold and sticky quickly, on that cold floor. The time when he saved everyone by learning the ways of the Nian played through his thoughts. How proud they all seemed to be of him then.

Tobey thought about when he jumped on the runaway school bus and saved the driver and all those kids – but nobody saw him do that. It probably wouldn't have made any difference anyway. Nana told him he could never be a superhero, and was sorry she wasted any time training him. He closed his teary eyes and waited for the end to come.

After he had been there for a while without moving except his chest as he took shallow breaths, he heard footsteps again. At first he thought it was Nana coming back to take him to the orphanage – she said – 'like garbage'. That memory was all it took to make him utter a small sound of agony as more tears ran down his temples and into his hair.

He smiled. Well fine, I won't live long enough for her to take me back. He didn't look up until he realized there was more than one person walking toward him. There were four feet making noise on the cold, shiny white floor.

Tobey moved only his head as he looked past down his belly button in the direction of the noise. Just moving his head made him dizzy and he realized how weak he was. He focused on the source of the noise long enough to recognize his 'friends'.

Wearing their usual clothes, Sid and Sue were walking toward him. Then they started running toward him. Anger rose and made his face feel hot. He wiped tears away with the back of his hands. Mostly he just smeared the blood from his hands with his tears. He was a little surprised he could still move at all.

Tobey quickly stood up to face the two siblings he once thought were his friends. Before he died he planned to 'kick' their butts for what they did to him.

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The restaurant, even in the storeroom had never been this quiet before. Sue sat with Sid for a long time before she got up to find something to cover his body with. She also really needed to find Tobey, and find out where Barney went.

After a while, she gave up trying to find either of them and grabbed a blanket before she went back to the storeroom. She couldn't find Barney either, not that she wanted to it just would have been good to know where he was and keep her eye on him.

Tears flowed freely again when she started to cover Sid up. She just couldn't bear to do it yet; it was so . . . final. She stayed next to him for a little while longer and tried to call Nana on Tobey's phone. No answer, then she tried to call 911 again, and even 911 didn't answer. Sue put the phone down and touched Sid's hair once more before she would finally pull the blanket over his head.

In a flash of bright light, Sid's body disappeared. Sue fell back on her butt with the blanket still in her hands. "No. Sid? . . . What's g . . . bodies, people don't just vanish." Sue sat there and thought for a while.

"Maybe Tobey didn't leave and just vanished the same way." Sue started to call Tobey, but remembered she had his phone. Tobey would never leave his phone, or leave at all during such a crisis.

Sue checked all over the restaurant and found there really was no one else there. There was also no garden! Out the back door, there was just brightly lit white space. She walked out a little ways on the bright white floor. The building, now behind her sparkled and quietly vanished, just like Tobey and Sid's body did!

Feeling self-conscious about being someplace strange in her torn pajama's she looked down at herself. Surprised to find that she had her regular clothes on, favorite shirt and black pants with studded belt, she thought was all of it just an illusion?

Next, she reasoned that Sid wasn't really dead! She was so happy for a moment, until she realized she had been through a terrible nightmare and Sid and Tobey were probably going though nightmares of their own.

"I have to find them fast!" Sue said to no one but herself. She started jogging in the direction she already faced since all directions looked exactly the same.

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Sid turned around in the chains by pushing with his toes on the cold ground but he still count see much at first. As his eyes got used to the unexpected light in the once, dark dungeon, he could see a thin female figure walking toward him.

The light seemed to be coming along with her. As she got closer he recognized her. It was Sue! He was excited at first and started to call to her, but stopped. He watched quietly some more, trying to figure out if she was a ghost, and angel or his imagination.

Now the figure that had to be an angel was jogging toward him. Thinking it was an angel, he realized he must be dead and was a little sad, but relieved at the same time. His life had taken such an awful turn so suddenly. "I wonder why the angel isn't flying?" he mumbled.

Everyone he knew, his family and all of Chinatown were either dead or had their lives turned upside down, and it was all his fault. With Sue and Tobey dead, and doubting his ability to save Nana, death sounded ok. No sane person would ever want to live in a world ruled by Kong Li anyway.

Sid didn't realize it, but he had closed his eyes. He was watching Sue and Tobey's faces smiling at him in his imagination. His head fell forward with his chin on his chest and his arms and hands suspended over his head had gone numb a long time ago, except for the agonizing pain in his shoulder. Sid's bare feet were freezing and aching. Considering how bad I hurt, I must not be dead.

He could tell, even with his eyes closed that the room was getting brighter. He thought the angel must be very close now, but afraid to open his eyes he stayed still and waited.

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Sue ran faster when she saw another structure before her in the vast nothing. When she got to it she slowed to a walk as she approached, catching her breath and wondering how she was going to get in. There were no visible doors or windows. It was just white floor right up to a stone wall. Sue was amazed as she walked closer the walls dissolved, one before another as she walked forward.

Soon she started jogging again. This illusion was dissolving almost like the illusion of Wu's she was trapped in did once she realized something was not right. Something was still 'holding' this place together until she got very close. She reasoned that it was because Sid still believed it was real.

Finally the right wall dissolved and the light followed her into the space. Hanging in the middle of this room, now missing a wall was Sid hanging from chained hands. "Sid." She whispered, trying not to scare him.

Sid didn't seem to hear her. Sue walk up, carefully touched his face and she took her finger and gently wiped tears off of his cheek. The best thing was that he felt warm and alive. Excited, without a word she hugged him. Sid startled and moaned and she let go of him. He was full of bruises and cuts and he still hadn't opened his eyes. "Sid?" she whispered again.

Sid finally got up enough courage to open his eyes. "Mei Mei? Wow, this angel looks like my sister Sue." He smiled and closed his eyes again.

"Sid wake up – I'm not an angel! I'm alive and so are you! It's really me-Sue!" Sid opened his eyes and came around. He blinked in the bright light trying to get his eyes to adjust. When he really saw her, tears of joy ran down his face.

"MeiMei! I can't believe you're really here, they told me Kong Li killed you! KONG Li, himself told me he killed you!"

"Ya, I thought you died in my arms. What we've been experiencing – none of it is real- or rather, it's only as real as we make it!"

"No way. Then that means I didn't mortally wound Tobey! And Kong Li didn't finish him off either!"

"No, but we have to find him – fast!"

Sid saw Sue reach up toward the chains holding his hands and interrupted her.

"You can't release me-there is no lock, they welded the chains on my wrists – just like they did to Nana. MeiMei you'll have to find something that can cut the chains but first go get Nana! She has been . . ."

"Sid, it's alright, Nana wasn't ever here, remember? This is all an illusion, even the chains. They are still keeping you captive because you think they are!"

"What? The burns on my wrists and getting my butt kicked by those guards didn't feel like an illusion."

"Try to calm down, see things as they really are. As soon as I did, my illusion totally fell apart and disappeared. I suppose once you are depressed enough, the illusion will start to disappear on its own, but by then it might be too late. I don't really know how I kept it together long enough to figure it out. You have to try!"

"I trust you Sue - completely, but this just seems too . . . um, too simple!"

"Try Sid, I know you can do it!" She hugged him gently while he calmed and focused. She could feel him relaxing. She looked up and the chains were dissolving from his wrists. Once gone he landed flat on his feet and his arms fell painfully to his sides. He gritted his teeth for a moment but smiled at her.

They watched the rest of the walls and torture machines around them dissolve, including the chains on his ankles, everything! His black shirt and shoes appeared back on his body!

"See Sid, Nana was never here. This is all part of Kong Li's magic to keep us occupied while he finds and uses that recipe in the bookstore."

"But it was so real!"

"Ya, it was too real."

"Sue? Oh man, I wanted to die . . . and if I had the opportunity! – Tobey!"

"I thought for a moment that I wanted to die too! It must be part of the effect of where we are! Unless Tobey realized it was all fake, he's probably still in his nightmare!"

"Or worse! Mei Mei – what if his illusions made him think he wanted to die, he's all alone – you know how he can get!"

"Ya Sid, now that I'm thinking clearly, I know there is never a reason to wish for death! Things always change – we can change things!"

"Yes, I understand now too, it is clear, like there were clouds of darkness before and I couldn't see clearly."

"And Tobey is probably still suffering somewhere!"

Just as Sue's relief and joy had vanished, so did Sid's when he realized Tobey was still in trouble. Along with the building, and the other illusions around him, Sid's injuries all vanished too. He moved all the parts that had been injured to be sure, before they set out jogging again.

Sue wasn't too worried about the direction since she had found Sid ok, she hoped it would be the same for finding Tobey.

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Nana saw in the mirror that Sue had realized, and beat her nightmare. She watched her running off to find Sid and Tobey.

The sound of grass being stepped on behind her made her turn around just in time to see Kong Li swing his staff at her head. Nana grabbed her mirror, did a back flip over the bench and kicked it back at him. Sparks flew from the chains that secured it to ground when they broke. The bench flew in front of Kong Li and blocked him just long enough for Nana to get back and grab a handful of magic herbs from her bag.

Nana threw the herbs in front of him, they flashed and sent out a force like a strong wind and Kong Li was blown off his feet. Nana stood her ground against it.

"You rotten old woman!" Kong Li got up and charged her. "Watch it Kong Li, you are older than me!" She struck again. His cape flowed out behind him as he flew through the air off the palm off Nana's hand.

Their battle had taken them off the pier and back to shore. Nana was near Mr. Wang's crab stand. Kong Li took out a vial and threw it at the wall behind her as he attacked. His attack kept her from catching the vial.

When it broke against the wall, leaving a stain from the recipe on it he started chanting "Ku-Fio-Fu!"

Kong Li threw Mei Hua against the wall just under where the vortex phenomenon was forming.

She easy landed on her feet and charged him. The tentacles shot out of the vortex and wrapped around Nana's right arm. She still took Kong Li's feet out from under him with a kick and he fell. While he was down, she reached under his cloak and felt for anything that felt like a recipe. When she pulled her hand back, she was holding two recipes!

She had them both! Kong Li growled and grabbed her arms. The tentacles from the portal wrapped Kong Li's legs and another grabbed Nana around her waist. They wrestled for the recipes as the tentacles pulled them both closer to the orange vortex on the wall.

Nana took her hand off Kong Li just long enough to grab herbs out of her pocket. She mashed the dry mixture into the tentacles slimy flesh and the ones that held her, shriveled up like a slug with salt sprinkled on it. As Kong Li disappeared into the vortex Nana rolled away.

When she looked back in her hand she was horrified to find she only had one recipe left! Kong Li had managed to get back the other one, but which one! She sat down on the grass near the crab shack to read the recipe. The vortex had vanished after it swallowed Kong Li.

Now he was on the other side with her kids. She knew they were in no shape to be fighting him. Would he be stuck in a nightmare too or was he already aware of the full effect of the recipe he used to send them there?

Mei Hua focused back on reading the recipe she held. Thankfully it was for the vortex! She had little time to prepare, she hoped. The sooner she got Sue, Sid and Tobey back, the less chance there would be of them running into Kong Li.

Nana only had the picture of Sid, Sue and Tobey. The rest of her pictures went into the water when Kong Li attacked. It would still work as long as they have found each other! She set the mirror in front of her leaning on her herb bag and put the picture behind it. As the 'seeing portal' recipe ran down it, the other dimension came into focus.

They were together! Mei Hua was so relieved to see Tobey was still conscious when Sue and Sid got to him. But he was fighting them and there was a lot of blood! They weren't gonna have an easy job of convincing him it was all an illusion.

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Tobee continued . . .


	5. Chapter 5

Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 5

By Crystalquirt

Nana is using a 'seeing' portal recipe to find Sid, Sue and Tobey and see what they're doing, but she can't help them. Kong Li creates the portal to 'another dimension' again while he is fighting with Nana to get rid of her, but is trapped in it himself. Now he's there with the kids and they are in no shape to battle him.

Kong Li still has the Black Liquid recipe, but Nana got the portal recipe back from him. She has to hurry to use it to get them back, but first – Tobey still has to realize that he's trapped in an illusion.

Violence, more violence, possibly disturbing and scary situations, mild expletive possible.

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FROM PART 4

Now Nana only had the picture of Sid, Sue and Tobey together. The rest of her pictures went into the water when Kong Li attacked. It would still work as long as they have found each other!

She sat in the grass and leaned the mirror against her herb bag. She put the picture behind it. As the 'seeing portal' recipe ran down it, the other dimension came into focus.

They were together! Mei Hua was so relieved to see Tobey was still conscious when Sue and Sid got to him. But he was fighting them and there was a lot of blood! They weren't going to have an easy job of convincing him it was all an illusion.

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Part 5

An orange disk-like objected appeared over the white floor. The darkly clad, cloaked Kong Li came through it feet first and gracefully landed, already staring in the direction of Sue, Sid and Tobey.

"I can smell you from here!" He said as though his enemies could hear him.

Kong Li started to run toward the smell, but stopped when everything around him suddenly went pitch black.

When it got light again, he was wearing overalls over a dirty gray shirt with many large stains and holes. He looked around calmly, as though amused by the rundown, barely furnished old mobile home he was standing in.

Mei Hua's higher than usual voice was shrieking at him from the kitchen. "Get out there and change the oil in the tractor! You have to get it done before you go back to work at the chicken farm! I swear - if I didn't tell you every move to make, you would be fired as 'egg gatherer' and 'chief chicken poop collector', and this place would fall apart."

Kong Li made a talking motion with his hand and mouthed, 'Blah, Blah, Blah.'

Sid, Sue, Tobey, Sandra, Karla and Karl, each under five years old, ran screaming out of the kitchen. As the children ran by Kong Li, little Tobey hit him in the knees with a dirty cooking pot from the floor that the dog was eating leftovers out of.

Kong Li planted his boot in Tobey's little butt after he went by. That caused Kong Li great pleasure, but it caused little Tobey to squeal, scream at the top of his lungs, and throw himself on the ground. Little Sid went back and kicked Kong Li in the leg.

"Do you really think you can hurt me? I thought this was supposed to be a nightmare? " Kong Li laughed maniacally and knocked little Sid down. "So far it has been a GREAT time, for ME!"

Mei Hua's high pitched, screeching voice yelled again from the kitchen, "Husband! When you get home from work tonight take a shower right away! I really want to try for another baby! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have 10 more? But I can't get interested in romance if you smell like chicken poo."

That did it.

"Time to end this!" He closed his eyes, waved his hand and the whole illusion vanished immediately.

"I know Mei Hua will try to open the portal to save those kids. The only one she is going to find alive here, is me!" Kong Li turned on his heel and gracefully, silently swept across the white floor towards what he said was the smell of those rejects.

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The siblings had slowed to a walk, they were sure it was Tobey lying on the floor, still a couple hundred feet away. Sue started walking faster again and got out in front of Sid.

"Oh no! Sid! Look at him!" they were close enough to see the blood. The contrast of Tobey's blood against the white floor made it very noticeable.

Sue jumped into a run again, with Sid right next to her. They were a little relieved to see Tobey move and even get up as they got closer. Blood dripped off his fingers and he looked so weak, Sue tried to run faster to catch him thinking he might fall.

Tobey held a hand out toward them and yelled, "Stop!" They stopped not wanting to upset him more than he already was and even from a distance they could see his hand was shaking. "Oh Sid! What happened to him?

"Tobey! Easy man – why are you bleeding? What do 'you think' happened to you?"

"I think I fixed it so Nana won't have to 'waste her time' to take me back! How could you guys do this to me? I thought you were my friends!" Tobey ran at them ready to fight.

"Tobey whatever you think happened . . . it wasn't real, STOP!"

"Ya-Tobey! It's all been an illusion." Sid tried.

Tobey kept running at them. He turned slightly to run at Sid first. He tried to punch him and Sid just stepped sideways. Tobey stumbled to a stop and turned to face them breathing hard and bent over in pain. "I heard Nana with my own ears, and saw her with my own eyes – what are you talking about – are you trying to deny it?"

"We're all trapped here . . . in an illusion!"

"When you saw Nana, what did she say to you?"

It didn't seem like Tobey was listening to either of them. "If you didn't think I was good enough, why didn't you tell me so I'd have a chance to fix it before . . . before you guys and Nana decided to send me back?"

"Tobey? Good enough at what? What did Nana tell you?"

". . . and send you back . . . back where?" Sue added.

"As if you don't know!" Tobey took a step and though at punch as Sid's head. Which he easily blocked, and caught Tobey to keep him from falling. Tobey struggled and got out of Sid's arms.

Backing away from them he pleaded and reasoned, "Nana told me what she thinks – and what you two think of me! I just wish you had told me yourselves when you started feeling this way. Maybe I could have tried harder - although I don't know how I could have! I try my hardest all the time, I loved being trained by Nana, and having your friendship."

Tobey lifted his leg and weakly swung it at Sue. She stepped back. "Tobey, just trust us - everything's fine, we just need to get home."

"I have no home and now . . . I know I can't trust anyone." He stumbled forward, all the activity got his heart rate up and his wrists were bleeding faster. Even though he was very weak, he took off running!

"No Tobey - don't run!" Sid looked dismayed and started running after him, but Tobey didn't make it very far. He stumbled and fell, rolling to a stop on his back. He was very close to where he had laid for so long bleeding and came very close to falling on his knife.

Since he was already down, Sid kneeled next to him and with a hand in his chest kept him down. Sue tore the bottom off of her favorite shirt and tore it into two strips. She handed one to Sid to wrap around the bleeding wrist he was closest too.

"Why bother Sue, his injuries aren't real, all we have to do is convince him, right?"

"I think so but he is very upset. Haven't you noticed? He hasn't been listening! The longer it takes to convince him it isn't real the weaker he will get. He believes he is bleeding, and we have to stop it. If he passes out, how can we convince him it's all an illusion? He might even . . .

. . . and I don't know what else to do to help him!"

"Help me? Why would you care?" Tobey was weak and spoke softly. Sid let up on his chest to use both hands to wrap his wrist. Tobey rose up a little to see what he was doing.

Sid spoke softly. "This isn't real Tobey, whatever you think we did - everything that's happened since we've been here has all been an illusion. You, Sue and I are all that's real here." While Sid was talking to him, Sue was looking at his head to find the wound in his hair.

"I wish that was true, b-but - it really hurts you know? I have a headache - Nana kicked me in the head!" Sid and Sue both looked shocked for a second. "But that's not what hurts the most."

"Your wrists probably really hurt . . . but Tobey, we're trying to tell you . . ."

"Not my wrists either. What you said, what Nana said – all hurt so much more and now you're lying to me! WHY?" Tobey's fingers found the knife lying next to him near Sue. He brought it up past her leg and across to stick it, up to the handle in Sid's upper arm.

"Aaaahgnnn!" Sid fell away and landed on his side holding his arm. The knife was stayed in it. Sue jumped over Tobey and landed next to Sid. Tobey rolled to his feet and stumbled into a jog.

"I'm ok! Stop Tobey!"

Sue jumped up and caught Tobey by the back of his belt, trying not to knock him down and hurt him more, she guided him down as gently as she could. Sid joined them and sat down. He moaned through his gritted teeth. "Sue! What's going on? I know this isn't real! Why is it still in my arm? It really smarts you know?"

With the two siblings so close, Tobey didn't try to get away again. He closed his eyes, but he was listening to them.

After hearing Sid's questions, Sue thought for a moment and reached over to pull the knife out of his arm with no warning. "OW!" he yelled and glared at her. He covered the wound back up with his hand.

"My best guess is that like you said, you, me and Tobey are the only beings or things that are real here. The knife is Tobey's. It's the one he carries in his pocket all the time, so we know it's real too." Sue closed his knife and put it in her pocket.

"You mean he could have killed me? For real?"

"I think so. If the knife was big enough, and got you someplace other than your arm - you 'whiney-butt'."

"Hey, I'm not whining." Sid got right in Tobey's face. "Tobey, you have to listen to us! As soon as you understand, truly realize that this is all an illusion, you will be fine and your injuries will disappear."

Sue spoke very quietly but they both could hear her. "Maybe it won't be that easy. He is real and he used his own knife on himself too."

"He, um . . . oh man – I hope your wrong Sue!"

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At least now they had him restrained. Nana couldn't hear what they were saying through the mirror, but could see Tobey was not happy to see them. In his weakened condition, he could pass out before they convince him it's an illusion.

Nana had the mirror set up on the counter near where she was preparing the 'another dimension' portal recipe. She was just like a mom cooking for her family while watching a soap opera. Emotional when something bad happened, and finding it a little hard to focus on what she was doing right in front of her.

She was compelled to keep watching, especially now that Kong Li was there with them. They were finally together, and at least it looked like their illusions had vanished. Nana was hurrying to get the portal ready so she could get them back – hopefully before Kong Li found them.

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"Tobey! Please try to understand! I know it sounds impossible – but this is all an illusion. We all went through a portal that Kong Li created in the bookstore."

"Do you remember being in the bookstore? You kept a book case from falling on Sue during the fight – you saved her."

"Ya, I do remember, but that was a long time ago. I also mastered the ways of the Nian, stopped a runaway school bus, and got half of Chinatown back out of a painting, but none of that seems to make a difference to you." Tobey turned his head away and stared out across the floor.

"Of course what you do makes a difference! We might have lost the battle with Kong Li a long time ago if it wasn't for you.

Tobey looked back at them with tears in his eyes. "Then why would Nana say the horrible things she did? Why is she sending me back to the orphanage?"

"Oh Tobey! That's what we've been trying to tell you – when you thought Nana was here, and you thought she was talking to you – it wasn't real she wasn't even really here. She would never say those things to you. There is something about this place that takes your thoughts fears or doubts and makes them play out. It's just energy playing around with your mind."

"It felt very real when she kicked me in the head – and look at the blood."

Sid smiled and put his hand on Tobey's shoulder. "Nana would never kick you either – I might – but not too hard."

Tobey sat up and hugged Sid, and then Sue. "Are you sure Nana's not mad either?"

"No Tobey, she isn't mad, she's trying to get all three of us back."

". . . but-I . . . I got so upset . . . Oh no! Look what I did to myself!"

Tobey held out his wrists like they hadn't seen the blood yet. "I thought I wanted to die – I'm so weak now - I hope I didn't succeed." Tobey broke down and cried again.

He went from being afraid to live; to afraid he was going to die in a matter of minutes. It was all, confusing – but he realized for the second time in the same day, how much things can change and how quickly.

"Tobey." Sid muttered. It seemed like he was accepting what they were telling him – Sue must be right, Tobey's injuries aren't disappearing like mine did. Sid took his own shirt off to make more bandage material. His shirt was thicker and would hopefully stop the bleeding for good. He still had on a white t-shirt.

Sue pulled Tobey close to hug him tighter. He turned his face into her neck.

"Young Tobey, just in case you didn't succeed in taking your own life, I will be glad to deliver the final blow and get it over with."

Tobey gasped, and Sid and Sue turned to look. Kong Li was standing right behind them! He sneaked up on them while their attention was on Tobey. Kong Li aimed his staff at Sue's head. Sid rolled onto his back and blocked it with the bottom of his shoe.

Sue left Tobey sitting on the floor and stood up between him and Kong Li. Sid jumped to his feet and joined her.

"This, this is all your fault Kong Li – we'll never forgive you for this! It's just too much!" Sid charged Kong Li delivering a series of punches and palm strikes that actually drove Kong Li back at first.

"I'm not looking for your forgiveness!"

Kong Li jumped and did a back-flip away from Sid. His foot struck Sid in the jaw as he went. Sid bent over and held the Sid of his face for a moment. Sue ran by him to start an attack of her own.

Kong Li flung a splatter of blue liquid in her path from a bottle. The blue vanished right away like it evaporated instantly. As Sue ran into the area that got sprayed by it, she started to sink into what was the solid floor. In three more strides she was all the way up to her knees in the floor.

It was like trying to run in white, melted plastic. Sue made the mistake of putting her hands down and they got covered with the warm heavy liquid.

Kong Li jumped over the mess he made of the floor right over Sue's head and charged Sid. Tobey was still sitting on the floor behind him with his wrists pressed against his stomach trying to stop the bleeding.

Sid made fists and got low. "Kong Li, you found the recipe didn't you? The one we were looking for in the bookstore! It melts any material without adding heat! Hang on Sue!"

"Why yes I did, with you three having all the FUN, wasting time here and your Nana frantically trying to find you – there was no one to even slow me down!

Tobey was now standing up. "Fun! You think we were having fun?" Tobey stumbled weakly as he started to go around Sid to attack Kong Li himself, but Sid put his arm in front of him and held him back.

"Sit back down Tobey, you'll only lose more blood – I'll handle this." Sid ran forward. He noticed Sue had made her way over to the edge of the melted floor and was trying to pull her legs out.

Sid threw a punch but Kong Li caught his arm and flipped him over in mid-air three times before he hit the floor on his back. Before he could get up, Kong Li kicked him so hard it picked him up off the floor and threw him over Sue. He landed head-first into the liquid part of the floor.

Sid pushed down with his hands, but instead of lifting his head out, his hands just sank into it. He kicked and thrashed finding it impossible to get his head up. As Sue watched her brother drowning in the goo, she turned and tried to get to him quickly, but it she couldn't move very fast in the liquid floor.

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Nana was just completing the recipe when Kong Li appeared in the mirror. While she waited impatiently for it to get to the right temperature in the pot, Kong Li was attacking her kids. When she saw Sid go face down into the liquid floor, she yelled "Close enough!" grabbed the pot off the stove and threw it at the wall. She screamed. "Fu -Fio -Ku!" It was a reverse of the original spell. There would be no tentacles from this end to 'help' them get through it.

"Come on you three, find the portal - hurry!"

Nana saw Tobey struggling against Kong Li, but Sid and Sue were too far to the side to be seen.

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With Sue and Sid thrashing around in the floor, Kong Li turned to face Tobey next.

"Now for you." Tobey was staggering toward Sid and Sue and stopped short when Kong Li threatened him. The bandages they made out of Sue's shirt were soggy with blood and even that small weight seemed heavy to him as he raised his hands to defend himself.

Kong Li just slapped Tobey's hands to the side and that almost knocked him off his feet. He spun him around and held him around the neck from behind. Kong Li put his mouth very close to Tobey's ear and whispered, "I think I will take you with me to see your Nana."

"Get back, your breath smells awful man! You could really use a box of mints!"

When the orange disk-shaped vortex appeared in mid-air nearby, Kong Li forced Tobey to walk with him toward it. "No! I have to go help Sid and Sue! Let me go!"

In the liquid floor, Sid couldn't breathe! Sue fought her way to him and pulled up on his arm until his head was above floor level. The recipe had made the floor so gooey and heavy that a thick white layer of it still clung to him. Sid's hand found her belt and he used it to hang on to her. Sue used her hands to scoop large handfuls of white goo off her brother's face while he struggled to stay on his feet.

The instant he could open his mouth and feel air again, he sucked it in loudly. Sue kept scooping it away from his nose and eyes. He got his feet back under him and was able to stand on his own. They both started pushing their way back to the edge, this time helping each other, but it was still slow going – and they had to get out fast to help Tobey.

"No! No! I don't wanna go!" Tobey wasn't aware of where Kong Li was pushing him, but he knew he didn't want to go, he wanted to go help Sid and Sue. Too weak from the blood loss, Tobey couldn't fight back. He just let himself go limp hoping Kong Li would drop him. Kong Li just picked his light frame up and put him over his shoulder to carry him.

"Instead of killing you here, I will take you with me through the portal and hold you ransom for your Nana's cookbook. Once I have it, I'll get rid of all three of you." Tobey started struggling weakly but Kong Li could barely feel him hitting his back.

Sue and Sid finally made it out of the goo and ran to stand between Kong Li and the portal. Kong Li looked annoyed.

"Alright you two back away, if don't go through the portal first, neither does this little reject friend of yours - ever." Kong Li poked him in the back of the leg.

"Don't call me reject!" Tobey had never been upset by Kong Li's little nickname before – but this time it really bothered him. Tobey was trying to twist around so he could see Sue and Sid. He elbowed Kong Li in the back of his head as hard as he could three times very quickly and Kong Li dropped him.

Too weak to get away Tobey took too long to get up. Kong Li pressed down on his back with his staff and held him down.

From Tobey's less than heroic position, he made a pretty heroic speech, "No guys, don't let him get back - with or without me – he should never be allowed out of here – and if I have to stay with him, I will. You two hurry, get back to Nana!"

"No way Tobey, we won't just leave you here, right Sue?"

"Right! . . . and we won't let Kong Li get to the other side either."

Sid was still trying to get white floor goo out of his ears, but stopped when Sue finished that last statement and got ready to fight.

"I have beaten the three of you before. And really, little Tobey down there doesn't even count this time. "He's always been pretty worthless if you ask me." Tobey yelled, twisted out from under the point of the staff and knocked it away. Kong Li was still faster and picked him up by his shirt. He held him by the neck like a shield in front of him.

"Get away from the portal, now, or you can watch him die before I take care of you both."

Sue and Sid looked at each other before they backed away in different directions.

Kong Li kept Tobey in front of him as he jumped into the portal. Sue jumped next, and Sid got his toes pulled in just in time for it to close behind him.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Surprised, Nana backed up when Kong Li came through holding Tobey by his neck. Kong Li landed and stepped aside before Sid and Sue landed after him. Nana was shocked at the site of all of them, but especially Tobey. She was bewildered about why his injuries didn't vanish once the illusion was over.

After Sid and Sue landed on their feet in Wu's kitchen, the white coating of floor hardened on their skin and clothes. When they moved, it was so brittle it shattered and fell in shards on the floor around them.

"Now that we're all here, Mei Hua, I will give you time to go get the cookbook and all the recipes you have for me. You better hurry. I don't think Tobey will live through a long argument between us.

Tobey answered him, "You jerk even if I am completely worthless - I'll protect my family and the cookbook from you for as long as I can.

Sid and Sue looked at each other, wondering, now that they have Tobey back – can he still believe they thought those awful things about him?

No time to figure it out, Tobey stomped on Kong Li's foot. It really only made him angry and he tightened his grip on his neck. It made Tobey cough but it was enough of a distraction for Sue and Sid to jump Kong Li.

Sid body slammed Kong Li and Sue grabbed Tobey and pulled him away. She turned and pushed him toward Nana who caught him in time to keep him from falling. Sue ran at Kong Li.

Nana grabbed at Tobey again and missed. He was running back toward the fracas to help Sue and Sid. Nana ran after him to get in on the fight too.

Kong Li had Sid down on his back pinned with the staff across his neck and his knee in his stomach. He had Sue frustratingly pinned on her stomach with his hand in the middle of her back. The only surface she could reach to hit was the side of Sid's face, so punching something wasn't an option.

As Tobey landed on Kong Li, his knee struck him in the neck and knocked him off his friends.

Nana quickly helped sue and Sid up.

Tobey and Kong Li landed against the side of the large, walk in freezer. Kong Li threw two handfuls of herbs at her. They exploded when they came in contact with each other. It drove Nana, Sid and Sue back. He easily pushed Tobey off and jumped to his feet.

Tobey was lying on the floor trying weakly to get up when Kong Li turned back to face him.

"You little cretin! I should have finished you in the other dimension!" Kong Li held his hand down toward Tobey and chanted "Mah-lit-jiph".

The barfiest color green lightening ever, shot from Kong Li's fingertips. It crackled and quickly zipped through the air at Tobey.

Just a little bit quicker than lightening, Sid leapt and landed on Tobey to cover him. The lightening hit him instead of Tobey. Sid screamed as it burned the back of his shirt away and ran around his skin. "Sid!" Tobey screamed when he fell limp on top him.

Sue was frozen in place with her mouth covered and tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at her brother.

Nana attacked Kong Li viciously and got him away from Tobey and Sid.

Sue gathered her wits and helped Tobey get Sid off so he could get up. Tobey scooted the rest of the way out from under him not wanting to roll him over on his sore back. He felt Sid's neck for a pulse. The steady beat he found provided him some relief. Tobey started to get up to help, but was so weak it just didn't happen.

He leaned against the freezer and shook Sid's shoulder. "Sid please – wake up."

"Hey -Tobey, are you ok?" Sid said quietly before he even opened his eyes. Tobey leaned forward and looked hopefully right into Sid's face. Sid opened his eyes and Tobey helped him roll on his side and sit up.

Sue joined Nana against Kong Li. Their battle took them closer to the door. Kong Li slammed the door, like he was afraid one of them would try to leave. "This ends here!"

Sue screamed, "Yeah right, you've said that before!" She attacked with all her rage and got in a series of kicks that made Kong Li bend over. The door Kong Li slammed and was now leaning against suddenly flew open. It knocked him down to the floor. Mr. Wu charged in yelling, "Why is nobody working!" he didn't look down, and stepped all over Kong Li.

Kong Li rolled out of the way making threats and looking for his staff. In a blur of cape, Kong Li ran out the door, down the hall and over the garden wall. Mr. Wu followed Kong Li out apologizing for stepping on him. He kept apologizing in a louder voice even after Kong Li went over the wall.

Sue ran quickly back to Tobey and Sid. They were still sitting on the floor and had seen that Mr. Wu just accidently saved all of them. Sid chuckled quietly.

Sue went to her knees, slid up to Sid and gave him a big hug. Her hands went across his burned back and made him wince. "Sorry." She let him go. Nana asked if they were ok and they both said there were but Tobey hadn't tried to get up again yet.

Nana said she'd be right back, and went out to try and calm Calvin down and keep him out of the storeroom until they got things cleaned up.

"Tobey, do you still think we're mad at you?"

"How could I? But Sid, I wish you hadn't done that just to prove you want me around."

"Don't get a big head." Sid smiled at him. Now Tobey was convinced they really did want him around. Nana and Sue helped the boys stand up and Tobey gave Nana a tight hug. She let him hug her as long as he wanted.

"Tobey, you and the others will have to fill me in on all that happened later, but for now you're going to the doctor. I want to make sure your ok. At the doctor he did a little 'out-patient' surgery to reconnect the artery that was cut on each wrist and the nature of his injuries made the doctor order six months of counseling even though he and Nana told the doctor that there were 'unusual' circumstances.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

"If you won't tell me what happened, at least talk to Nana."

"It's ok Sid, since it wasn't real, it's no big deal right?"

Sid was worried that Sue refused to talk about what happened to her. "I don't know, I still feel bad, I ruined everything, I got you guys killed and Kong Li won and took over as King! It was terrible."

"Well, it was just . . . I lost control of a situation and got you . . . um, hurt."

Sid didn't believe her. He knew she was leaving a lot out. Barney came in unnoticed and started wiping tables. He leaned over the back of the booth behind Sue to tell them hi.

Sue startled and landed a palm against Barney's jaw. He fell on his back with the damp rag for the tables over his face. "Ow! - what did I do?"

Sue jumped out of the booth and took Barney's hand. "Barney! I'm so sorry, you scared me! Oh man, I really didn't mean to do that!" She helped him up. He was working his jaw back and forth to make sure it still worked.

Tobey and Nana came back just in time to see Sue helping Barney up off the floor. "What happened kids?"

"Oh nothing Nana, he startled me – Are you alright? Barney I'm sorry!"

"You said you were sorry already Sue, and it's ok – I know not to sneak up on you anymore huh?" She saw his smile was a little crooked when she looked at him. Barney went back to wiping off the tables. Nana and Tobey joined Sue and Sid in the booth. Sue sat with her hands over her face.

"Well kids I am very happy to have you all back. I know you all experienced some terrible things. Are you all ok?"

"We will be, but I think Sue needs to talk about what happened to her."

"No Sid I told you I'm fine."

"Tell it to Barney, you almost knocked him out because he walked up and startled you."

Nana explained, "I was able to see some of what happened to all of you using a spell. I feel bad I couldn't get to you to help you sooner, but to get out; you had to overcome the illusions and find each other. The only way to get you back was if I stayed here to watch and open the escape portal when you were ready."

Tobey was unusually quiet. "Are you ok Tobey?"

"Yeah, it's just that it was only a few hours ago that I thought I'd be back in the orphanage or on the street by now." Nana saw he needed a hug again so she hugged him.

"Tobey that will never happen; I have made arrangements, legal and otherwise sufficient to ensure you that you will always have a home and a family. All of you will."

"But what if I mess up something – really bad? What if I'm not good enough?"

Sue offered, "We all mess up, we learn from it and move on."

"You are already 'good enough' as you are right now. You were 'good enough' when I first met you. Your doubts will fade; it's just left-over worries from what you went through."

"Now kids, we still have work to do. Kong Li got away with the Black Liquid recipe. We still need to get it back before he uses it again.

"Boy, I'll say-that was on dangerous and nasty recipe!"

I will begin the search while you three get some rest. Especially you Tobey - No video games – after you all sleep a while we will get that recipe and bring Kong Li down!

They all agreed reluctantly to do as she said. But they didn't really want to be sleeping while Nana was investigating or looking for Kong Li!

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Before Sid went to their room he went to the store room and got a hammer and nails, and the longest rope he could find. There was no one around when he pried up a step in the staircase and dropped the rope down into the space.

He hammered the step back down tight and returned the hammer to its place in the store room. "If I ever do fall down there, now I can get back out!" satisfied, he went to rest a while like he promised Nana. Sid was having some left over worries from what he went through too.

{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}

Tobee Continued . . .


	6. Chapter 6

Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 6

By Crystalquirt

Nana still has the portal recipe. She used it successfully to get the kids back from another dimension. Kong Li escaped with the Black Liquid recipe from the kitchen where he was fighting with Nana, Sue, Sid and Tobey.

*A 'pile' is a vertical structure member used to support the load, in a pier it's the column or pole that goes down in the water which the pier is built on. I hope I'm describing it clearly. 

Violence, more violence, possibly disturbing and scary situations, mild expletive.

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From part 5

Before Sid went to their room to rest he went to the store room and got a hammer and nails, and the longest rope he could find. There was no one around when he pried up a step in the staircase and dropped the rope down into the space.

He hammered the step back down tight and returned the hammer to its place in the store room.

"If I ever do fall down there, now I can get back out!" satisfied, he went to rest a while like he promised Nana. Sid was having some left-over worries from what he went through too.

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Tobey was sleeping fitfully. When Sid got back up to their room, he arrived just in time to catch him as he fell off the top bunk. When Tobey landed in his arms he startled in his sleep and started punching.

Sid calmly let him roll out of his arms and onto the lower bunk. That woke him up. Tobey landed facing the wall and looked back over his shoulder at Sid.

Sid sat on the edge of the bunk and spoke softly. "What was your nightmare about?"

Tobey rolled over and looked at him through wet eyes. "Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No, I just came in. I had something to do first. Are you still worried that Nana doesn't want you around?"

"I don't think so, but in my dreams she hits me. I've never had dreams like this before."

"Well, if you're gonna be thrashing around in your sleep - stay down here on my bunk, I'll go up top for now. You won't have so far to fall if I miss catching you."

"Ok"

"And remember, we all love you and want you around - no matter what happens." Sid hoped one of the times he heard it, it would really sink in and Tobey would feel better.

"Thanks Sid."

Sid climbed up the ladder, but paused and looked back down at Tobey. "I'm not gonna find where you're hiding month-old shrimp or something up here for a midnight snack - am I?"

"I don't think you'll find it." Tobey smiled and closed his eyes again. Sid stretched out on top of the comforter, not really wanting to see what might be lurking in Tobey's bunk.

As soon as it got quiet and Sid closed his eyes, he heard Nana's and Kong Li's voices repeating, 'You ran away.' he rolled over and heard 'You wouldn't help him.' It had seemed so real. He could still see Tobey falling with the arrow he shot from his bow, sticking out of his gut and Tobey's pained expression.

Before Tobey went back to sleep he noticed Sid was really restless, and he thought he heard him crying. No way! Is Sid crying? Tobey called up, "You ok Sid?"

"Just fine." He tried too hard to sound 'normal.'

"I don't believe you. What happened to you? You know, in the void?"

"Kong Li took over Chinatown and enslaved everyone."

"But what happened to you?"

Sid made a sound like a hiccup trying not to cry. "I ran away. I couldn't take the responsibility and ran. I injured you badly and then couldn't make my feet move to help you. I watched Kong Li kill you and Sue and didn't do anything to help either of you! It was so real!" his voice cracked and Tobey could tell that he was really crying now.

"I know Sid, Nana yelling at me and kicking me in the head seemed very real too. But I know she would never do that. Just like you would never leave us hanging, buddy. There is no way you would ever not back us up in a fight, we know we can depend on you."

Tobey was climbing back up the ladder with a box of tissues to sit with Sid if he wanted to talk. Sid turned to the wall and used the tissues before speaking again.

"Thanks, but the problem is - I really do have doubts - I wanted to be a 'normal' kid and do kid stuff. Sometimes I really do hate all the responsibility."

Tobey added. "And sometimes I just think it's all too good to be true. To have been adopted by Nana, and get to stay with you and Sue, my best friends – and be a superhero to save Chinatown! It's just . . . epic! I have doubts sometimes that I really don't deserve this life and I'm terrified it will all end."

"Yeah, I guess that's what the void did. It took our fears and intensified them - and made them 'real'. I really hate Kong Li for doing this to us."

"You sound better - do you feel any better Sid?"

"I think so Tobey . . . thanks."

Sid was thoughtful for a moment. "I wonder what Sue experienced? She wouldn't say a word about it."

"Yeah, even I can tell she's wound up tight about something. Barney didn't stand a chance when he accidentally startled her before." As Tobey went back down the ladder he made a punching motion with his fist and a splat sound, mimicking Barney hitting the floor after Sue hit him.

Tobey left the tissue above with Sid and stretched out on his back staring up at the bottom of the top bunk.

They were both feeling better, but both closed their eyes worrying about Sue.

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Sue didn't go to sleep right away either. She could hear Sid and Tobey talking and banging around in their room. It didn't bother her at all. She was so happy they were all home it was comforting to hear them.

She finally shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep with images of Barney smiling at her, being interrupted by him tearing at her clothes. Every time she saw Barney plunge the knife into Sid's chest - even in her sleep she felt an ache in her chest.

A couple of hours later Sid and Tobey were finally sleeping soundly. Tobey dreamed of shrimp toast and all he could drink hot and sour soup filling up the bathtub. They were both startled awake by screaming.

Sid forgot he was on the top bunk and almost fell off. "Sue!" they both ran to her room.

Sue was thrashing around, totally wrapped up in her blanket. "Barney! NO!" she screamed again after they were at her side. Sid held her shoulders gently and called her name until she woke up. Then he helped her get out of her blanket.

"Are you alright Sue?" Tobey asked. He nervously watched while Sid tried to calm her. He sat down on the foot of her bed. Sid sat on the edge next to her.

"I'm fine Tobey. Just a bad dream I guess."

Sid looked at her with a worried look. "It sounded like a bad dream about Barney. Why would you have a nightmare about Barney?"

"Maybe she dreamed he wouldn't take her dancing." Tobey guessed.

"Probably more than that - Tobey."

"Just never mind guys, I don't want to talk about it."

"Sue, tell us. What happened to you while you were in the other dimension?"

"I can't, it was too awful."

"Tobey and I didn't have any fun either – but I does help to talk about it. Come on Sue. You said you lost control of a situation. What was the situation?"

Oh alright, if you think it will help. "I was weak – I hated it! I suddenly had no kung fu skill" she still tried to not really talk about it.

"That happened before, when my stupid wish about being normal came true. We all lost our skills for real for a little while. That's what my nightmare was about in the void - my fear of not facing my responsibility . . . but you know now what happened in the void isn't real. You weren't this upset even when it happened for real. What else happened to you?"

"That's it."

Tobey tried, "No way, tell us! Maybe we can help – it can't hurt you know, you know you can tell us anything and we aren't leaving until you spill you're guts!"

"Oh alright, Barney finally noticed me! He finally told me that he thought I was pretty but he wound up attacking me." She looked away trying to keep from crying. "He hurt me . . ."

"Oh Sue." Sid put his hand on her shoulder.

". . . and when you caught him and tried to stop him from hurting me, he killed you!" Sue's lower lip was quivering.

"You died in my arms – and it was all my fault! If I hadn't wanted him to notice me or like me, if I had been strong and able to protect myself, you wouldn't have had to come to my rescue!"

Sid found his muscles tensing, his anger rose – anger at Barney! "Hurt you? How? You mean he . . . ?"

He had to focus and concentrate just too keep from getting angry himself. It would be hard to convince her it wasn't real – if he let himself react how he first felt like reacting - even the thought of anyone touching his sister that way . . . was too much.

Sue didn't answer him. Instead, she started sobbing and covered her face with her hands. Sid pulled her over hand hugged her. "I couldn't stand it Sid, I felt so helpless and stupid."

"You know now that it wasn't real right? It never happened – I know Barney would never do that to you."

"Yes, I know, and he would never kill you either. Even if he attacked you, you would wipe the floor with him. But I don't want to ever have to have someone else help me! How can I go through life knowing there might be something happen that I can't handle myself?"

"You've always been able to handle whatever happens. Tobey and I count on you a lot."

"But what if I can't handle something someday, if I am not strong, if I'm not able to defend myself and either one of you got hurt or killed! I don't want to ever have to be saved!"

"Lots of bad things could happen in life, and no one knows for sure that they will be able to handle everything that happens - especially alone. We can't live in fear."

"Yeah Sue, It's ok to depend on me and Sid for anything!"

"Ya, we always have your back Mei Mei."

"But . . ." Sue leaned back a little and wiped her eyes, just as her phone rang. Sid saw it was Nana and answered it for her. He could tell his little sister was still having some huge doubts.

He agreed and hung up. "We gotta go. Nana found Kong Li!"

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Nana searched all of Kong Li's known hangouts and wound up at the wharf again. She sat on a bench across from a warehouse. Looking at her watch reminded her of each minute passing, and Kong Li getting closer to using the Black Liquid recipe against Chinatown.

With any luck the three at home were getting some rest, but she was very worried about them and knew they would need more than a little rest to recover completely. It saddened her that soon she would find Kong Li and would need them to help again, without giving them any time to recover, physically or mentally.

Kong Li was also at the wharf very near the spot where Nana had stopped to think. He was inside the warehouse nearby, cooking up more of the Black Liquid recipe and experimenting with it on different surfaces. He poured the prepared recipe into several vials and small bottles and hid them in his pockets.

A nasty strange smell wafted to Nana. She looked around and saw the colorful smoke coming out a window across the way. As she watched, a section of the wall melted right before her eyes! She knew she had found Kong Li, and called Sue's phone.

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Sid and Sue had already pulled on their heavy shirts. Sid was putting his shoes on. Tobey was in the kitchen. Sid observed that Tobey was still very weak. "Tobey you can't go - your hands are shaking."

"Yeah, you lost a lot of blood and the doctor wanted you to get a lot of rest." Sue paused as she tied her shoes.

"No way – I just need something to eat – I'm fine." Tobey was gulping hot soup out right out of the pot again. Barney was beside himself, "I just made that for the customers!"

"I'm not going to goof off here while you're in a fight. Weren't we just talking about this? I've always got your backs and always will have." Tobey finished off the soup and the three went out in the garden to get their bikes. They left Barney in the kitchen alone complaining about having to make more soup. He hadn't heard a word they said about what was going on.

They found their bikes wet. "Oh man, why did it have to be raining?" Sid tried to wipe off his seat before he got on – but realized how silly that was. It was raining so hard everything was soaked and was going to stay that way for a while.

They put on their helmets and took off standing up on the pedals to go as fast as they could.

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When they arrived at the wharf, Sue, Sid and Tobey rode their bikes up on the grass between the street and the paths used by forklifts to the warehouses. Nana was down on a pier already fighting with Kong Li.

They jumped off their bikes without stopping. The three bikes rolled as short distance and fell over as after the three landed in a run. Tobey was a little slower than usual, but was right behind them! The rain stung their skin it was so cold and the strong wind made it hard to run in a straight line.

As got close they watched Kong Li throw a vial that could only be the Black Liquid recipe at Nana to try to melt her!

"Nana No!" Sue screamed! The wind tossed ocean spray over the pier to mix with the rain in the wind and made it hard to see or hear anything sometimes.

Nana couldn't hear Sue yelling at her as they ran up. She back flipped away from Kong Li and the vial missed. It broke against a stack of wooden crates and they melted into a gooey brown puddle. The rain was pounding so hard what was left of the melted boxes quickly washed away.

Kong Li kicked Nana and she fell back against the railing. He was laughing as they came up. Nana glared at him and resumed her dragon stance.

The kids' arrival distracted their enemy for a moment while Nana caught her breath. Kong Li saw them coming and backed away down the pier. He waved his hands and two lumps of black clay-like material appeared on either side of him.

With a wave of his hand and an incantation, they formed into humanoid forms. Two shape shifters! Kong Li stood between them and waited for Sid, Sue and Tobey to realize just how much trouble they had run into.

They all three looked nervous, and watched for Kong Li to make the next move. Nana backed up a little and stood with Sid, Sue and Tobey. Her wet hair fell out the bun and hung down her back.

The shape shifters jumped in front of Kong Li and charged. Sid ran forward first. "Stay here, I will handle this!"

"Not alone you won't!" Sue was right behind him. Tobey asked Nana if she was ok.

"I'm fine, be careful you three - Kong Li was cooking when I found him."

Tobey ran in and delivered a palm to one of the shape shifter's faces. It rolled away and turned into a dog before attacking again. As it tried to bit Tobey's face, he grabbed it by the fur on both sides of its head and held it back.

Sid still argued, "No Sue! I said stay back – protect Nana while I take care of this."

"And I said you can't do it alone – you don't have to do everything yourself to prove you won't run away." Sid realized what she was saying and let her take the shape shifter while he went after Kong Li. Nana joined him.

Tobey managed to keep the dog-shaped shifter's teeth away, but didn't have the strength to push it off with only his hands. His wrists pained him under the strain. The rain soaked his clothes and the bandages on his wrists through to his skin. The strain of holding onto shifty ripped his stitches and blood soaked all the way back through the bandages and his shirt.

Tobey got his foot under the shifter's stomach and kicked. The large dog-shifter went off the side of the pier but appeared again right away as a large bird flying right at him. Tobey used his painful hands again to block the bird and it landed on the deck near him. As Tobey let out a kung fu yell and started to run at it, the shifter started to transform again.

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Sue looked at Tobey and the shifter she was fighting took the chance and got in a good punch. She fell into the boxes next to the ones that had been melted and barely avoided falling off the pier.

She glanced again at Tobey while the shifter was running at her. He wasn't doing well, and even from where she was, she could tell his wrists were bloody again. Tobey paused to brace against the wind to keep it from blowing him off the pier.

Determined to do the 'saving' this time, and help Tobey she fought her opponent with renewed vigor. The hard rain in her face made her blink. She could hardly see, but it didn't even slow her down.

Sid stood with Nana against Kong Li. They had each narrowly avoided being melted by the recipe. Sid was still over compensating, trying to be sure he was doing all he could to protect everyone and do it all himself. He was getting very tired already. Nana caught him breathing hard and holding his arm where Tobey's pocket knife had stabbed him I the moments after she knocked Kong Li down.

"What's wrong with your arm Sid?"

"Nothing!" Sid charged Kong Li again, only to be thrown back off of Kong Li's staff. Nana completed a round kick and took Kong Li's feet out from under him. Sid jumped in and reached into his cloak for the recipe.

Kong Li growled and knocked Sid away before he jumped to his feet. Once up he kicked Sid and connected right over the place where he was holding his arm, knowing he was injured there already.

Sid gritted his teeth and yelled holding his arm tightly against his body again. Nana ran in, and Kong Li through a whirlwind at her. Nana and Sid were both swept up in it. Nana grabbed onto Sid and guided him back down to the pier instead of the water with a wind spell of her own.

But now they were way back near shore when they landed, and they immediately started running back to the fight.

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Tobey gasped when the shifter he was fighting took form again. It was his Nana's form! Even though Tobey saw the shifter take Nana's look, and new it couldn't really be her, he still screamed "No!" and backed up with his arms wrapped around his stomach.

The shifter ran at him and delivered a series of punches and kicks that all landed on their target and Tobey cried out each time. He couldn't make himself hit 'Nana' back and was really freaked out by her hitting him, just like in his nightmare!

The others heard him scream, "No Nana, please – I'm sorry!"

Sid said "Oh no! Tobey's apologizing to the shifter – he thinks it's really you Nana?"

Nana just frowned, not taking her eyes off of Tobey.

Tobey screamed loudly when the shifter-Nana kicked him in the stomach and he flew into the boxes. The one on top fell off and was blown way out to sea by the strong wind before it hit the waves. The shifter went to where he fell and kicked him again. Tobey rolled into a fetal position trying to protect himself while shifter-Nana struck him three more times.

They all heard Tobey screaming. Sid and Nana were running and would come to his aide first. Sue knocked her shifter off the pier and even though it tried to shift into a bird, it was caught in the wind and blown into the water.

She went to help Tobey, but Kong Li struck her in the head with his staff from behind. She got right back up and faced him; very happy she still had her bike helmet on. "You fight dirty don't ya?"

"You have no idea!" Kong Li replied.

Sid couldn't believe his eyes – Tobey looked so . . . helpless! "Oh no! Of all the things – why did it have to turn into you Nana? He's not fighting back!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"Nana – you hit him in his nightmare in the void – it is one of the things he is most afraid of!" and then to Tobey he yelled "Tobey! That isn't Nana! – FIGHT BACK!"

Tobey heard him, but was not in a frame of mind to believe him. He was about to break and give up completely. The wind and rain, and the torture his already, weak body was enduring and the emotional pain of being abused again by Nana was too much for him to take again. He started sobbing instead of fighting back.

"Sid! Help Sue with Kong Li, I think it's important I help Tobey!"

"Right!"

As Nana landed feet first into the Nana-shape shifter and knocked it away from Tobey, Sid ran by and joined Sue in her fight against Kong Li.

Sid was surprised, and Kong Li laughed when she told him she didn't need help and to go back to help Tobey. "But Sue?" Kong Li punched Sue just to show her she might need Sid after all.

Kong Li raised his staff to strike Sid and Sue ran back in and blocked it. "NO! I won't let you be hurt again!"

Sue battled Kong Li alone and backed him out to the end of the pier. Not seeing an opening for him to jump in and help her, Sid stood near ready if she needed him until he saw the first shape shifter that went into the ocean coming back as a very large bat! So large it wasn't being blown around by the strong winds.

When it landed on the pier in-between the two battles that were already being fought, it changed into its humanoid form. Sid picked up rusty chain lying nearby and used a length between his hands to block the shape shifters first punch. The chain sliced Shifty's hand off at the wrist and it landed on Sid's shoulder. Ew! He brushed it off and knocked Shifty into the water below.

Winds continued to rage and rain pelted everyone as they fought. Tobey opened his eyes when he stopped being kicked, and saw the two Nana's fighting. He was so scared and confused at the sight he couldn't move.

Fortunately Nana was doing very well on her own, and after she was sure Tobey saw her fighting with 'herself' with three hard strikes the Nana-shifter was thrown off the pier and caught in the wind. It hit the water way out in the ocean and turned into a whale before swimming away.

Kong Li saw the last of his little army swimming away and snarled as he went after Sue again. Sid was running back to help her.

Tobey tried weakly to get up and Nana tried to take his arm to help him, but he leaned away from her – like he expected her to hit him again. "Tobey – it's alright – I would never hurt you!" she pulled him close and hugged him tight. "Nana." He whispered and started to cry.

"Tobey we have to help Sue and Sid with Kong Li, are you up to it?"

"Yeah, let's go Nana." He followed her to stand against Kong Li.

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Kong Li fought with a strategy and soon had Sue at the edge on the end of the pier. He grinned and took out three of his vials. He threw them in rapid succession in a line trapping Sue at the end of the pier. He backed up a little when the magic melted the boards closer to him than he planned.

The wooden planks and steel that the liquid hit turned soft and dripped into the waves below. Sue was left on just the width of one plank supported by the last two piles on each end. She got ready to jump back across but hesitated waiting to see what Kong Li would do. She saw Nana and Tobey running toward her, and Sid in the lead.

Kong Li threw another whole bottle at Sue's feet. She jumped into the air to avoid being hit by the melting recipe.

When she landed over the same spot where the Black Liquid recipe hit, the boards melted out from under her feet and she fell through. She caught the soft, melting edge with her fingers but it was melting faster than she could climb up on it.

They all saw Sue fall through the pier. Sid screamed her name and slid to a stop in front of Kong Li, but the enemy slammed his staff into him and knocked him down through the hole too. On the way down, Sid grabbed the end of Kong Li's staff and saw Sue was still hanging on too.

All Kong Li would have had to do was drop his staff, and Sid would have been sure to fall, but there was no way he would lose his staff. He kicked Sid's hands trying to get him off. Sid screamed at Sue "Hang on!"

Kong Li was off-balance, trying to kick Sid to make him let go of his red dragon staff. Nana landed a kick and took his legs out from under him. As Kong Li let go of the staff and fell, Nana caught it and yelled at Sid to hang on!

As Kong Li went down, he grabbed the staff too and was hanging face to face with Sid. Now Nana was straining to hold them both up while they hit each other. "Sid hurry and get him off, I can't hold you both!"

She hooked the head of the staff over a cable that tied what was left of the pier together. She prayed that she, the staff and the cable could hold the weight.

Kong Li punched Sid in the mouth and his hands slid off the staff. He caught Kong Li's cape as he fell and started climbing hand over hand back up on it. With Sid's weight hanging from his cape Kong Li found it choking him and tried to knock him off with his elbows.

Sid hung on tight and climbed him like a pole. Kong Li thrashed so hard, his hands finally slipped off the staff, and just in time Sid caught it again with one hand. Nana had been holding her breath and finally dared to breathe again when she saw him catch the staff again.

Tobey jumped the hole and put his hand down to help Sue up. He reached for her just as her fingers slipped off the melting board and he . . . caught her! Her hands were full of slimy melted wood and he could feel her slipping away.

Tobey screamed at Sue to hold on then he screamed for help, but her hands slipped from his and she fell. She made a small splash in the choppy waves below and disappeared in the spray and rain! Tobey immediately dived in after her.

Sid kicked Kong Li's hands until it loosened his grip and soon his boots fell off. Kong Li went with Sid's boots into the water near where Sue and Tobey fell.

Nana helped Sid out, and he panicked when he saw Tobey and Sue were gone. "Where are they?"

"They fell into the water!"

He took a step to the edge planning to dive in after both of them and Nana stopped him. "Wait Sid, Tobey needs to save Sue, and Sue needs to be saved, and you don't have to prove yourself to anyone."

"Give them another ten seconds to appear. If not, we'll both go in after them." Sid held on to the railing and braced against the wind. He could barely stand to follow Nana's instructions for him to wait. His sister and best friend could be drowning!

In just a moment he saw Tobey walk out of the water carrying Sue across his arms. He collapsed to his knees and put her down. Sid and Nana ran back to come down the bank to the beach.

Tobey took Sue's helmet off her head and felt for a pulse, his relief at finding her pulse vanished quickly when he saw she wasn't breathing! "Come on Sue!"

He tilted her head back and pinched her nose closed. "Please breathe!" He could barely draw a deep breath himself to blow hard enough to make her chest rise, but he did it. "Breathe-Sue! Breathe!" he pleaded with her.

In-between each breath, as he counted – he looked around frantically for Nana and Sid wishing they would come help him, but didn't see them anywhere. He was concerned too, that maybe Kong Li had hurt them.

Desperate to save Sue, he stayed focused on what he had to do for her and just hoped Nana and Sid handled whatever happened on the pier. After the third time he breathed life into her, Sue coughed and Tobey turned her on her side.

Water ran out of her nose and mouth into the sand. Tobey put his forehead on her shoulder and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and so happy to hear her coughing. The rain slowed to a slow drizzle and the wind turned into a breeze.

After Nana saw that Tobey got her breathing again, she allowed Sid to run to them. He had been about to burst! Nana ran too just behind him. Tobey perked up again when he heard them coming. "You guys are ok! I was afraid Kong Li hurt you!" Sue opened her eyes and sat up with Tobey's help. "Sue! Sue almost . . ." Tobey's voice cracked and tears well up in his eyes.

Nana sat in the sand next to him, "It's ok Tobey, and you saved her! You did it! She might have died if you hadn't been here and able to save her." Tobey covered his face with his hands.

"Are you hurt anywhere Sue?"

"No I'm fine, thanks Tobey." He smiled at her; she hugged him and gave him a light peck on his cheek, which really made him blush. The drizzling rain stopped and a rainbow appeared in the sky over the ocean.

"I guess being saved isn't so bad, it's certainly better than the alternative if you find yourself in that position." Nana smiled at Sue and began teaching. Sid, Sue and Tobey sat quietly and listened.

"Finding yourself in a position to need saving, can't always be avoided, and it's not your fault – unless you're being careless. I think you know the difference. We must always be mindful."

"Sid? Wasn't it great that you didn't have to do it all – do you see you can't do it all? You don't have to prove to anyone that you are brave or responsible. We have no doubts in you, overcome yours."

"Tobey experienced crippling fear. It felt terrible, didn't it?" Tobey nodded. "You have already experienced what you think would be the worst possible thing that could happen. Next step is to accept it – and realize you will be fine through it all!"

"All three of you are perfect the way you are, and I'm so happy I was lucky enough to have you all come into my life. Watch feelings and fears that come up in the next few weeks extra carefully. Be sure you are seeing them clearly for what they are. We will add another meditation session to our schedule for a while you will all benefit I'm sure."

For once no one complained about practicing more. Even Tobey listened quietly and nodded.

"There's only one thing we did wrong, our fight isn't over. Kong Li got away with the recipe."

"But didn't he drown Nana? He hasn't come out of the water yet." Tobey knew he was wishing.

"We didn't see him come out of the water, but you know he has a habit of returning after we think he is gone for good."

"We know our fight isn't over, but what did we do wrong Nana?"

"Kong Li still has the Black Liquid recipe! We couldn't get it this time, even though I know you all tried your best."

"But Nana, I didn't! I froze and couldn't fight when the shifter took your form I freaked out!"

"Tobey, look carefully - see the situation clearly. You did do your best. You did the best you could tonight. Just because we lose a fight or fail, doesn't mean we didn't do our best does it? We all have our own conditionings and fears we have to deal with, and I know you all can do it, you prove over and over that you are all brave enough to face your fears!"

Sid had been smiling, and when she finished he giggled not able to hold it in anymore.

"Why are you laughing Sid, we fought so hard, and almost lost Sue, and still didn't get the recipe." Tobey frowned at him.

"Yeah, well," he pulled something out of his pocket. "We got the recipe!"

"Sid! You're a genius! When did you get it?"

"When I was hanging off his cape, he never even felt me picking his pocket!"

"Great job!"

Sid helped Sue and Tobey stand and they had a group hug. Sid dropped the recipe and Nana smiled and picked it up.

When they let go of each other, and the adrenalin in their body's came down, so did Tobey.

He almost fell he got so dizzy. Sid and Sue caught him together. Sid picked him up across his arms and carried him back up the hill. Tobey argued that he could do it on his own. "Let me down, this is embarrassing." Sid ignored him, and he really was too weak to do anything about it.

At the top, in the grassy area where they left their bikes they stopped and sat down in the wet grass. Sid took his heavy outside shirt off and gave it to Sue. She was shivering from being in the ocean. Nana called a cab.

Sid saw Tobey was shivering too, but only had one shirt to give. "Nana? Shouldn't Tobey go back to the hospital?" Tobey frowned at him even though he knew he was just worried.

"I don't think so,"Nana sat down by him and checked him. "I think he just needs some more hot and sour soup and maybe a few of my herbs. That should perk him right up. What do you think Tobey?"

"Whatever you say Nana." He smiled weakly at her.

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Nana kept all three out of school the rest of the day, and the next. She used some of her favorite healing herbs on Tobey when she rebandaged his wrists after he had a shower. Sue was still coughing up seawater. Tobey, Sue and Sid slept almost all the rest of the day. If Tobey wasn't sleeping, he was eating. Even though they were all three bruised and battered, they all said they felt good enough to go on deliveries.

Sid and Sue came downstairs ready for work and found Tobey in the kitchen drinking all of Barney's soup again. Barney was getting really tired of it and was yelling at him. Sue didn't even realize it when she stepped behind Sid while he was yelling at Tobey. Sid noticed.

Tobey looked perky, and he drank so much soup all day, that his normally flat stomach had a little pooch to it. Sue went to the refrigerator and found some curry yogurt for a snack. She chopped an apple into tiny pieces to put in the yogurt and after she stirred it in, turned around to find Sid and Tobey gone. She was alone with Barney in the kitchen, and he was between her and the door.

She noticed right away how nervous that made her feel and tried to focus on what she was doing. Sue even followed Nana's instructions about recognizing fear and clarity and all that stuff and paid attention to her breathing and how she felt inside. Barney noticed her staring at him and asked her what she made to eat.

She grabbed her bowl and ran by him to get out of the kitchen without a word. Sid found her sobbing in the hallway. "Oh, Sue." He held the bowl for her and gave her a hug before walking with her to a booth.

Concerned, Barney followed them and asked if Sue was ok. Tobey intercepted him and told him that Sue was just having a bad day and there was no problem. "Hey, do you have any more soup?" Tobey ran around him to go back to the kitchen, and it worked. Barney followed him.

Tobey couldn't even tease Sue about this – this was serious, and he understood. Nana scared him earlier when he ran into her coming around a corner.

Nana joined them when she came downstairs and sat next to Tobey in the booth. After they talked for a few minutes, she reached toward Tobey's face to pluck a pigeon feather out of his hair and he blinked and ducked. It even made Nana feel bad. Tobey pulled himself together and noticed the sad look she gave him. "I'm sorry Nana."

"It's ok Tobey, I understand. You have to overcome this quickly. I'm sure Kong Li saw your reaction when the shifter took my form, and you must overcome it before he uses it against you again."

"Your right, Nana."

It was an easy night for deliveries and each of them appreciated getting their biking muscles stretched a little after sleeping most of the day.

After deliveries and they were in bed much later, Tobey woke Sid up in the night again talking loudly "I knew it, I knew I would screw up – I'm so sorry! Please don't . . ."

Sid stood up and shook his arm. "Tobey stop – everything is fine." Tobey woke up and they both went to see if Sue was still awake. She was so they joined her in her room and all three sat on the floor with a flashlight talking for hours.

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Nobody slept very well that night, and Nana let them sleep all the next day. Barney thought they went to school without him and went to school alone.

Sid, Sue and Tobey came downstairs late for food and went back up to bed after Nana led them in an hour's meditation. She was pretty sure the only reason Tobey sat still for that long was because he fell asleep.

"Hey guys! Nana let you stay home from school again today? Wow! You got it made - you don't look that sick to me!" Barney greeted them when he got back.

Barney refused food when Nana offered, he got right into working to try and avoid any yelling from his dad. Nana sat bowls down for the other three and they started eating. Sid caught Barney watching Sue and excused himself to go talk to him.

"Hey Barney, Sue is better now, you should go talk to her."

"I wasn't looking at her if that's what you mean – I'm glad if she feels better."

"I can tell that you like Sue, you know."

"I was just worried about her."

"Sue has liked you for a really long time; you should come over and talk to her. I feel a little bad about teasing her about it instead of supporting her before - I haven't been a good big brother I guess. I know you will be good to her." Barney thought his last sentence sounded a little threatening.

Sid didn't give him anymore time to decide and pointed him at their table. Barney sat in the booth across from Sue. He didn't see her give Sid a really dirty look, to which Sid smiled at her. He sat down next to Sue and had chocolate pie with them. They actually found things to talk about. Sue knew more about wrestling than he ever guessed and Barney loved magic!

Of course his only references about it were from movies – but it still made for a lively conversation.

Sid got up to get some hot chocolate. But when he started back out he saw Sue and Barney were holding hands across the table and decided not to bother them. Sid found Tobey playing video games and talked him into going for a bike ride until time to start deliveries.

Nana knew where all of her kids were, and what they were doing. She was very proud of the healing they had already managed to do, with very little assistance. She had some chocolate pie herself to congratulate herself on finding three of the best kids ever!

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[End]


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